The Trump administration is preparing to send two senior figures to Russia as it seeks to advance its proposed peace initiative for Ukraine. According to CNN, special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner are expected to arrive in Moscow as early as next week for high-level talks.
Speaking to reporters in Florida, President Donald Trump said, “We have been working toward ending the war in Ukraine, and there has been positive progress. My view is that peace should not be delayed any longer.”
Revised Peace Proposal and Sensitive Issues Between Washington and Kyiv
Trump’s original 28-point peace proposal, drafted without formal consultation with Kyiv, faced significant criticism in recent weeks. In response, Washington and Kyiv held extended discussions in Geneva, where officials from both sides worked to revise the document.
Those talks produced a 19-point joint draft, Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya confirmed. He said several provisions were reshaped to make the proposal more acceptable to both governments.
Kyslytsya added that the most sensitive issues—territorial questions, NATO-related concerns and broader security guarantees—would be settled directly in talks between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian negotiators have emphasized that any decision involving the ceding of national territory requires a nationwide referendum under the constitution. Kyiv remains cautious about proposals requiring land concessions.
Russian Demands, Ukrainian Resistance and Broader Criticism
Russia continues to press for recognition of its control over Crimea, parts of the Donbas and other disputed areas. Despite nearly a decade of conflict, Moscow has not fully secured the Donbas, with significant parts of Donetsk still under Ukrainian control. Ukrainian officials argue that surrendering fortified regions such as Donbas could increase the likelihood of renewed Russian offensives.
Trump’s initial proposal has also drawn criticism from European allies and from lawmakers within the United States. Some members of Congress suggested the document may have been influenced by Moscow, a claim U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected on the platform X, saying the proposal originated from the American side.
Future Negotiations and Upcoming Moscow Discussions
Amid pressure both domestically and internationally, Trump has reiterated that the peace plan is not final and can be revised. The 19-point draft prepared in Geneva is expected to face further review during upcoming meetings in Moscow.
The planned visit by Witkoff and Kushner is likely to influence the direction of future negotiations among Russia, the United States and Ukraine. Although all sides express a desire to end the conflict, their positions remain far apart, making the path toward any agreement complex and uncertain.
