Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described Ukraine’s territorial questions as the “most difficult” issue in ongoing peace negotiations, while the White House expressed cautious optimism about progress toward ending the war.
The White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the administration “feels very optimistic” about reaching a deal to end the conflict.
However, Zelensky was more reserved, posting on X that the talks were “very constructive” but acknowledged “some tough issues that still have to be worked through.”
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who took part in discussions with the Ukrainian delegation, is now en route to Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin scheduled for Tuesday.
He will be joined by Jared Kushner, adviser to former President Donald Trump.
Witkoff has spoken with Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
He is expected to brief Putin on the outcomes.
Last week, Putin acknowledged receiving a draft peace proposal from the Americans, suggesting it could serve as the “basis” for a future agreement to end the war.
The initial US-Russia draft peace plan, shared in November, stirred controversy in Kyiv and across Europe. It was seen as heavily favoring Moscow’s demands and included provisions controlling the use of billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets held in European banks, as well as restricting Kyiv’s access to EU markets.
Macron stressed that “there is currently no finalised peace plan to speak of,” emphasizing that any agreement must involve Ukraine and European countries.
He pointed out that territorial matters “could only be finalised by President Zelensky,” and issues like frozen Russian assets, security guarantees, and EU accession require European participation.
Despite the challenges, Macron praised the Trump administration’s efforts to broker peace in the long-running conflict, which began with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and escalated with the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“We are now waiting on the Russian answer: are they ready to stop fighting and make peace?” Macron said. “I want to point out that for three, four times the Russians have said no. So they don’t seem in a rush.”
Source: First written by BBC News
