Image Credit: X account @WhiteHouse
Trump Sends Envoy to Meet Putin as Ukraine Peace Deal Nears
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his special envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to finalise a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine. Trump said the deal is “really close,” with only a few outstanding issues remaining to be resolved.
Deal Status and Diplomatic Scope
According to Trump, the peace plan has advanced significantly and both sides have made “tremendous progress.” He emphasised that any meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would only follow once the deal’s framework is finalised. While Ukraine is not part of the planned meeting, the U.S. administration says Kyiv will be kept “fully informed.”
Risks and Reactions
The proposed talks raise concerns in Kyiv and among its allies, who fear that Ukraine might be pressured into conceding territory to secure a deal. Moscow has welcomed the initiative but insists that its demands—including recognition of certain territories—remain non-negotiable. Analysts warn that despite the rhetoric, there is no guarantee that hostilities will cease immediately even if a deal is signed.
