Key Takeaways
- Talks between Russia’s president and Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff on ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine were "constructive" but had no breakthrough
- The framework of the US peace proposal was discussed, but no specific wording was agreed upon
- Moscow has not scaled down its maximalist demands, including the recognition of Ukrainian territories as Russian
- The Kremlin sees no resolution to the crisis without a compromise on territory
- Contacts between the US and Russia will continue, with further work to be done in both Washington and Moscow
Introduction to the Talks
The recent talks between Russia’s president and Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff on ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine were deemed "constructive" by Yuri Ushakov, senior adviser to President Vladimir Putin. However, despite the positive tone, there has been no breakthrough in the negotiations. The five-hour conversation, which took place on Tuesday, was described by Ushakov as "rather useful, constructive, rather substantive," but he also noted that the framework of the US peace proposal was discussed rather than "specific wording." This suggests that while the talks were productive, there is still much work to be done to reach a concrete agreement.
The Kremlin’s Demands
Moscow has not scaled down its maximalist demands to Ukraine, which include the cession of territories to Russia. The Kremlin wants Kyiv to withdraw its forces not only from the territories where fierce fighting continues and from the areas temporarily occupied by Russia but also from the territories Russia never controlled. Furthermore, the Kremlin demands that the US administration recognize these Ukrainian territories as Russian. This stance is unlikely to be accepted by Ukraine, and it highlights the significant gap between the two sides. Putin has been signaling that he is not willing to accept any concessions from Moscow’s side, which makes it difficult to envision a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Reaction in Moscow
Russian officials were expecting the Tuesday talks to help them seal a deal for a one-on-one Trump-Putin meeting. However, the US president cancelled the summit in Budapest in October due to a lack of progress and willingness from the Kremlin to work on a possible deal to put an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin-affiliated media outlets released a video of Witkoff and Kushner walking through Moscow’s city centre with Russian officials as they waited for the meeting with Putin. The meeting began nearly three hours late, as Putin attended an investment forum where he threatened Europe, saying Moscow is "ready now" if "Europe wants to start a war." This rhetoric suggests that the tensions between Russia and Europe remain high, and a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine is still a distant prospect.
The US Peace Proposal
The US peace proposal, which was discussed during the talks, is a 28-point plan that Moscow officials continue to refer to as the "US plan." However, Bloomberg’s release of leaked phone call recordings said to be proof that the deal was drafted by Russian officials, specifically Kirill Dimitriev and Ushakov, has raised questions about the origins of the plan. Both Dimitriev and Ushakov were present at the Tuesday meeting in Moscow, which suggests that they may have played a significant role in shaping the proposal. Despite this, Ushakov claimed that the two US envoys "promised they wouldn’t go to Kyiv, but they promised they’d return home" to Washington. This statement suggests that the US envoys may have agreed not to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at least not immediately.
The Future of the Negotiations
After the talks concluded, Ushakov stated that contacts between the US and Russia will continue, with further work to be done in both Washington and Moscow. This suggests that the negotiations are ongoing, and a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine may still be possible. However, the significant differences between the two sides, particularly on the issue of territory, make it difficult to envision a breakthrough in the near future. The fact that Moscow has not scaled down its maximalist demands and that Putin is unwilling to accept concessions from Moscow’s side suggests that the negotiations will be challenging. Nevertheless, the fact that the talks were deemed "constructive" and that contacts will continue is a positive sign, and it highlights the importance of diplomacy in resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the recent talks between Russia’s president and Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff on ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine were "constructive" but had no breakthrough. The framework of the US peace proposal was discussed, but no specific wording was agreed upon. Moscow has not scaled down its maximalist demands, including the recognition of Ukrainian territories as Russian. The Kremlin sees no resolution to the crisis without a compromise on territory, which makes it difficult to envision a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Despite this, contacts between the US and Russia will continue, with further work to be done in both Washington and Moscow. The negotiations will be challenging, but the fact that the talks were deemed "constructive" and that contacts will continue is a positive sign, and it highlights the importance of diplomacy in resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
