US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, are meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (2 December) to discuss possible ways to bring the war in Ukraine to an end. Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to halt the conflict, though earlier efforts—including a meeting with Putin in Alaska in August—have made no progress.
A leaked 28-point US peace outline last week alarmed officials in Ukraine and across Europe. The draft proposal contained issues involving NATO, territories under Russian occupation and limitations on the Ukrainian military. European nations subsequently offered counterproposals. During discussions in Geneva, the United States and Ukraine announced they had presented a revised and updated peace plan.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the meeting with Witkoff will take place later in the day, but did not disclose Russia’s “red lines”. Putin stated that he is prepared to enter peace talks, warning that Russian troops would push further if Ukraine rejected any agreement.
Current pro-Ukraine territorial assessments indicate that Russia controls more than 19 percent of Ukraine—an increase of one percent compared with two years ago. On Monday, Russian commanders reported the capture of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk.
US officials estimate that over 1.2 million people have been killed or injured in the two-year conflict. However, neither Moscow nor Kyiv has released specific casualty data.
Russia’s principal conditions include a ban on Ukraine joining NATO, full Russian control over Donbas, restrictions on Ukrainian military capability and guarantees for Russian-speaking and Orthodox populations. Ukraine fears that such concessions would amount to surrender. The United States, meanwhile, has proposed a 10-year security assurance plan for Kyiv.
Glive24/SS