Steve Witkoff, a key figure representing U.S. President Donald Trump, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for three hours in Moscow on Friday to discuss efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine. According to a senior Russian official who was part of the meeting, the talks were productive and helped bring the two nations’ positions closer together on both Ukraine and other global matters.
The discussion reportedly included the possibility of restarting direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine—something that hasn’t happened since the early phase of the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Following the meeting, Trump, speaking from Air Force One en route to Rome for the Pope’s funeral, said he hadn’t yet been briefed on the discussions but heard they went well. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was also expected to attend the funeral, though he indicated he might not be able to make it.
Trump later shared on social media that progress toward a peace agreement seemed to be going well and expressed optimism about a successful resolution. However, Witkoff has not publicly commented on the meeting.
Witkoff, a real estate developer turned political envoy, has taken on a central role in the peace push, despite having no prior diplomatic experience. His latest Moscow visit came shortly after Ukrainian and European officials rejected parts of the U.S. proposals for resolving the war.
Just before the meeting, a senior Russian military official was killed in a car bombing outside Moscow—an attack Russia blamed on Ukraine. A day earlier, Trump had denounced a Russian missile and drone strike on Kyiv that left a dozen people dead and posted a blunt message to Putin online: “Vladimir, STOP!”
Trump has made it clear that if no real progress is made, the U.S. could withdraw from the peace process.
Footage from the meeting showed Witkoff across the table from Putin, accompanied only by a translator. The Russian side included Putin’s senior foreign policy aide and an investment official, both with interpreters.
Some critics argue Witkoff is inexperienced and has too often reflected Moscow’s point of view. In a recent interview, he downplayed the idea that Russia wanted to seize more Ukrainian land, calling the notion “preposterous.”
Ukraine and its European allies strongly disagree. While Russia denies plans to expand into NATO territory, Ukrainian officials say any recognition of Russian claims undermines their sovereignty.
Documents seen by officials suggest that the peace plan Witkoff presented involves formal U.S. acknowledgment of Russia’s control over Crimea, as well as practical recognition of areas in southern and eastern Ukraine currently under Russian control. In contrast, Ukrainian and European proposals delay territorial discussions until after a ceasefire and do not concede any land to Russia.
Key points of disagreement remain, including sanctions, security guarantees for Ukraine, and the structure of its military.
Zelenskiy has emphasized that recognizing Crimea as Russian would violate Ukraine’s constitution. In a recent interview, Trump stated his belief that Crimea will remain with Russia and claimed this was broadly understood by all parties involved.
