Kremlin confirms US envoy will visit as talks on ending war in Ukraine gain momentum

U.S. Envoy to Visit Moscow as Ukraine Peace Talks Accelerate

A senior Kremlin official confirmed Wednesday that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Moscow next week, signaling intensified diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine.

Yuri Ushakov, President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, clarified that while Kremlin officials have seen a copy of the initial U.S. peace proposal through unofficial channels, they have not formally received it. Representatives from the three nations held talks earlier this week in the United Arab Emirates.

“Contact is ongoing, including via telephone, but no one has yet sat down at a roundtable and discussed this point by point. That hasn’t happened,” Ushakov told Russian state media.

Ukrainian officials neither confirmed nor denied whether U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who has recently taken a prominent role in peace negotiations, would visit Kyiv in the coming days as U.S. President Donald Trump had indicated on Tuesday.

The diplomatic landscape shifted significantly last week when Trump’s peace plan became public, triggering intense diplomatic activity. Initial assessments suggested the proposal heavily favored Russia’s demands regarding its invasion of Ukraine.

Following weekend negotiations in Geneva between U.S. and Ukrainian officials, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the plan as potentially “workable,” though significant issues remain unresolved. A Ukrainian official revealed that Zelenskyy hopes to meet with Trump soon.

Witkoff’s involvement came under scrutiny Tuesday after reports emerged that he had coached Ushakov on how Putin should approach Trump regarding the peace plan. Trump defended this as “standard” negotiating procedure.

“He’s got to sell this to Ukraine. He’s got to sell Ukraine to Russia,” Trump told reporters. “That’s what a deal maker does.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed the significance of the leaked conversation but acknowledged that various parties, particularly in the United States, might attempt to derail peace efforts. When asked if a peace agreement was imminent, Peskov cautioned, “It’s a little too early to say that.”

Meanwhile, the conflict continues to exact a heavy toll. The southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia suffered a major Russian drone attack overnight, damaging more than 50 residential buildings, including a university dormitory. At least 19 people were wounded, according to regional military administration head Ivan Fedorov.

Russian air defenses reportedly intercepted 33 Ukrainian drones over various Russian regions and the Black Sea. Ukrainian forces claimed to have struck a manufacturing plant in Cheboksary, western Russia, that produces components for cruise and ballistic missiles.

European leaders have expressed concerns about being sidelined in negotiations that directly impact their security. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized Wednesday that while Europe desires a swift end to the conflict, any agreement negotiated without Ukrainian and European approval would not establish sustainable peace.

“Europe is not a plaything, but a sovereign actor for its own interests and values,” Merz told lawmakers in Berlin.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen struck a more optimistic tone about recent developments, suggesting “an opportunity here to make real progress” toward peace. However, she stressed that any settlement must include security guarantees for Ukraine without limiting its armed forces or NATO aspirations – conditions that appeared in the initial proposal.

“There can be no limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces that would leave the country vulnerable to future attacks,” she said during a speech at the European Parliament. “This is as much about deterrence as it is about Europe’s security, because Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed skepticism about Russia’s willingness to engage in genuine peace talks, noting, “Right now, we see zero indication that Russia is ready for a ceasefire. Russia is not winding down its military machine, but ramping it up.”

Kallas advocated for increased pressure on Russia through additional economic sanctions and seizing frozen Russian assets to compel Moscow to negotiate in good faith. “We still need to get from a situation where Russia pretends to negotiate to a situation where they need to negotiate,” she stated.

As diplomatic efforts intensify, the coming weeks will likely prove critical in determining whether the warring parties can find common ground to end the prolonged conflict that has devastated Ukraine and reshaped Europe’s security landscape.