US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to meet in Moscow on Tuesday as part of ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to push forward a controversial proposal aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The high-level meeting follows renewed confidence in Washington after US officials held discussions with Ukrainian negotiators in Florida.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the administration “feels very optimistic” about the direction of the talks.
European Concerns Over US Proposal
While Washington is pressing ahead, the plan has raised concerns among European allies, who argue that the United States drafted it without input from Kyiv or Europe. Many fear the proposal appears heavily tilted in Russia’s favour.
Despite those concerns, Ukraine’s lead negotiator Rustem Umerov said the Florida discussions produced “significant progress,” though several “challenging” issues remain unresolved.
President Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to Ireland on Monday night to receive an in-person briefing from Umerov after completing talks in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron. Ireland’s Prime Minister Micheal Martin welcomed him at the airport, reaffirming Dublin’s “unwavering” support for Ukraine.
Russian Gains and Domestic Pressures on Kyiv
More than three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, new analysis of battlefield data shows that Russian forces made their most significant territorial gains in November since late 2024.
Kyiv is also grappling with internal turmoil after a corruption scandal led to the dismissal of Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s former chief of staff and top negotiator.
Speaking in Paris, Zelensky said he expected upcoming talks with the US president to focus on “key and very difficult issues.” He warned that Russia had intensified missile and drone attacks in an attempt to “break” the resolve of Ukrainians, describing it as both physical and psychological pressure on the population.
Macron said the coming weeks “could be decisive” for peace efforts and for Europe’s security. Zelensky insisted that no concessions should be handed to Moscow that could be interpreted as a reward for aggression.
“The aggressor must pay for the aggression,” he stressed.
Updates to US Peace Plan
The original 28-point US proposal reportedly demanded that Ukraine withdraw from areas of Donetsk still under its control and that Washington effectively recognise Russia’s control of Donetsk, Crimea, and Lugansk. After further talks in Geneva, the plan was revised, but the updated details have not been released.
European officials remain uneasy. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that the upcoming Putin-Witkoff meeting could result in “pressure being placed on the weaker side,” suggesting Ukraine might be pushed into concessions.
Macron also emphasized that territorial decisions “can only be finalized by President Zelensky,” as there is currently no agreed-upon framework on that issue. He welcomed new US sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector, which he described as a potential “game changer,” predicting the toughest economic pressure since the beginning of the war.
Intense Fighting Continues
Russia announced on Monday that its forces had captured Pokrovsk, a strategic logistics hub long defended by Ukrainian troops. In Dnipro, a Russian missile strike killed four people and injured nearly two dozen others, according to regional officials.
By the end of November, Russian forces controlled — fully or partially — 19.3 percent of Ukrainian territory, based on recent battlefield assessments.
