US President Donald Trump’s special representative, Steve Witkoff, met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday (2 December) to present a revised version of Washington’s Ukraine peace proposal. The White House expects the long-awaited meeting to open the door for meaningful progress toward ending the conflict.
Following ongoing talks with Ukrainian officials in Florida earlier this week, Witkoff is set to present a plan that the United States says is now aligned with Kyiv’s views. Washington hopes the updated proposal will encourage Putin to soften his hardline position.
Details of the revised plan have not yet been made public. A previous proposal approved by Trump last month sparked heavy criticism for appearing overly favorable to Moscow. That draft reportedly required Ukraine to cede certain territories currently under Russian control, reduce the size of its military, and abandon any prospect of joining NATO.
The proposal drew swift backlash in Kyiv and triggered heated debate across the US and Europe. Ukrainian officials later said they were nevertheless eager to reach a deal “as soon as possible.”
Last week, Putin said he was ready for “serious” discussions with the United States, noting that the framework Kyiv and Moscow discussed in Geneva last month could serve as the basis for a final peace agreement. However, he warned that if negotiations fail, Russia—advancing on the battlefield—would impose its objectives by force.
Meanwhile, the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing internal turmoil following a major corruption scandal. His chief of staff and key negotiator, Andriy Yermak, resigned unexpectedly last week, adding further uncertainty to Kyiv’s political situation.
