U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for three hours in Moscow on Friday to discuss a U.S.-backed plan aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Trump later said the two sides were “very close to a deal,” despite lingering differences.
In a social media post following the meeting, Trump described the talks as productive and urged Kyiv and Moscow to convene a high-level summit to finalize an agreement.
“Most of the major points are agreed to,” Trump wrote after arriving in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday. “Stop the bloodshed, NOW.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is also expected to attend the funeral, though he said Friday that his attendance was not yet confirmed.
Direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have been stalled since the early weeks of the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, who participated in Friday’s discussions, characterized the meeting as “constructive and very useful.”
“This conversation allowed Russia and the United States to further align their positions, not only regarding Ukraine but also other international issues,” Ushakov told reporters. “Particular focus was placed on the possibility of resuming direct talks between Russia and Ukraine.”
There was no immediate public statement from Witkoff.
Witkoff, a real estate billionaire with no prior diplomatic experience, has become Washington’s lead intermediary with Putin as Trump seeks to broker a peace agreement. His visit follows recent meetings where Ukrainian and European officials expressed skepticism over certain U.S. proposals for resolving the conflict — Europe’s deadliest since World War II.
The Moscow talks occurred just hours after a car bomb killed a senior Russian military officer near the capital, an attack the Kremlin has blamed on Kyiv.
On Thursday, Trump condemned a Russian missile and drone assault on Kyiv that killed at least 12 people, posting a direct message to Putin: “Vladimir, STOP!”
Trump has warned that without significant progress, the U.S. will withdraw from its mediation efforts.
Witkoff’s Diplomatic Debut Under Scrutiny
Witkoff, who joined Trump’s team in January, has faced criticism for his lack of diplomatic experience and perceived closeness to the Kremlin’s narrative. Critics have raised concerns about his capacity to negotiate directly with Putin, who has ruled Russia for more than two decades.
Footage from the beginning of Friday’s meeting showed Witkoff, accompanied only by a translator, seated across from Putin, Ushakov, and Russian investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
In a recent interview with journalist Tucker Carlson, Witkoff suggested it was “preposterous” to believe that Russia sought to annex more Ukrainian territory or invade other parts of Europe — a claim that runs counter to the views of Ukraine and many European leaders. Putin has repeatedly denied having ambitions beyond Ukraine, dismissing such accusations as “Russophobia.”
Documents reviewed by Reuters indicate that Witkoff’s peace proposal would include U.S. recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, as well as de facto acceptance of Russian control over parts of southern and eastern Ukraine currently occupied by its forces.
By contrast, European and Ukrainian drafts advocate postponing territorial discussions until after a ceasefire, with no provision for recognizing Russian authority over any Ukrainian territory.
Key disagreements also persist over the lifting of sanctions on Russia, security guarantees for Ukraine, and the future structure of Ukraine’s military.
Zelenskiy reiterated this week that recognizing Crimea as part of Russia would contravene Ukraine’s constitution.
In an interview with Time magazine published Friday, Trump stated, “Crimea will stay with Russia. And Zelenskiy understands that, and everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time.”
