Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Tuesday, a development following the White House expressing optimism about progress toward ending the Ukraine conflict. Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and informal diplomatic adviser, is also expected to attend this high-profile summit. The meeting comes after two days of intensive negotiations in Florida, where Ukrainian and US officials, including Witkoff and Kushner, worked to refine a US-backed peace plan previously viewed as favoring Russia. More on US diplomacy is available via the White House website at whitehouse.gov.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the Florida discussions as “constructive,” though he acknowledged significant obstacles remain. Following a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Zelensky reiterated Kyiv’s priorities: safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty and securing robust security guarantees. He identified the territorial issue in eastern Ukraine as the most difficult hurdle, with Moscow demanding land Kyiv has vowed never to cede. Background on Ukraine’s diplomatic positions can be found at the official Ukraine government portal at ukraine.gov.ua.

Beyond the US-Ukraine bilateral talks, Witkoff held separate discussions with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Zelensky, and Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov. Several European leaders participated virtually in the Zelensky-Macron meeting, highlighting widespread international interest. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed confidence in the refined draft peace deal, calling it “very much refined” and emphasizing that the administration felt optimistic about ending the war, though detailed negotiations remained in progress.

Last week, President Putin acknowledged receiving the US-proposed draft peace plan, suggesting it could provide a “basis” for an agreement. However, Kremlin officials later cast doubt on their acceptance after Kyiv and European allies made modifications. The initial draft circulated in November drew criticism for appearing to favor Moscow’s demands, including conditions on billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets held in Europe and regulations regarding Ukrainian market access.

French President Macron clarified Monday that no finalized peace plan yet exists. He stressed that any proposal must include Ukraine and European input. Macron emphasized that territorial concessions must be decided by President Zelensky and underlined that matters involving frozen assets, security guarantees, and Ukraine’s EU ambitions require European involvement. Macron also praised the Trump administration’s efforts to mediate the conflict, which began with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the week ahead as potentially pivotal. She expressed concern that Moscow’s true intent may be to extract further concessions, possibly pressuring Ukraine to yield beyond existing holdings. While Russia has engaged with US mediation, its demands often conflict with Ukraine’s sovereignty. Security guarantees, including potential NATO membership, remain a contentious point: Ukraine and European allies advocate robust protections, but Russia and former President Trump oppose Kyiv joining the alliance.

The Moscow summit occurs amid conflicting reports from eastern Ukraine. Russian sources claim to have captured Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) and Vovshansk, while Ukrainian officials have not confirmed either. Open-source intelligence monitoring the front lines indicates neither town is fully secured by Russian forces, highlighting the ongoing uncertainty on the battlefield.