Ukraine war: US envoy Witkoff reaches Moscow with draft peace plan

US special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday, carrying an early-stage peace proposal that the United States hopes could help end the nearly four-year-long war in Ukraine.

The high-stakes visit coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s trip to Ireland, part of a broader European outreach to nations that have supported Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

After months of stalled efforts, US President Donald Trump has activated a new diplomatic push.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner would join Witkoff for the closed-door talks, which would include only the two US envoys and an interpreter.

The diplomatic effort has unfolded on two tracks: last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Ukrainian officials, while Witkoff’s Moscow visit marks a simultaneous engagement with Russia. Zelenskyy said he met the Ukrainian delegation that returned from the latest negotiations in Florida, with Rubio noting that “there’s more work to be done” despite progress.

Zelenskyy said both sides were working from a document drafted earlier in Geneva and that it had now been “finalised,” though he offered no details. He emphasised that Ukraine is pushing for “substantial involvement” of European partners in key decisions and warned of Russian attempts to manipulate the process.

“Ukrainian intelligence will provide partners with the information we have about Russia's true intentions and its attempts to use diplomatic efforts as cover to ease sanctions,” Zelenskyy said.

In Dublin — his first official visit to Ireland — Zelenskyy met lawmakers in the neutral country, which has provided nonlethal aid and hosted more than 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.

Yet significant gaps remain in the search for peace. Major issues such as territorial control and future security guarantees are unresolved, with European officials cautioning that negotiations will be long and difficult. Many leaders fear Russia’s future ambitions and worry about sustaining financial and military support for Kyiv.

Zelenskyy was in Paris a day earlier, speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron, Witkoff and leaders of multiple European nations. Macron said “crucial discussions” with the US and Europe would continue in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the battlefield narrative remains contested. On Monday, the Kremlin claimed that Russian forces had captured Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy dismissed the claim, saying fighting was ongoing. Ukraine’s general staff also denied the capture, calling Russia’s announcement propaganda and saying new supply routes were being positioned.

As diplomacy intensifies, Zelenskyy faces mounting pressure at home —from military demands to corruption scandals — making the search for a breakthrough even more urgent.