Witkoff and Kushner may travel to Moscow for talks with Putin - Bloomberg
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner (photo: president.gov.ua)
US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner plan to visit Moscow in the near future for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bloomberg reports.
According to the agency's sources, the trip could take place as early as this month. However, the plans are not yet final, and the timing may change due to events in Iran, where large-scale unrest has been ongoing for more than two weeks.
White House denies agreements
At the same time, a White House representative said that such a meeting is not currently planned. The Kremlin, in turn, did not respond to journalists' requests regarding possible talks.
One Bloomberg source noted that a key obstacle remains uncertainty over Putin's own interest in a repeat meeting with US envoys.
Progress on peace plan at 90%
Meanwhile, representatives of the United States and Ukraine report significant progress in implementing a 20-point plan to cease hostilities. By their estimates, about 90% of the points have already been agreed upon, but a number of fundamental issues remain unresolved.
Positions of Moscow and Kyiv remain opposite
The Kremlin insists on the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from areas of eastern Donbas that Russian forces failed to capture. Kyiv, in contrast, proposes freezing the current front line or carrying out a mutual withdrawal of troops to create a buffer zone.
Moscow also opposes the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine and demands international recognition of the occupied territories as Russian.
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and frozen assets
Among other unresolved issues are control over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, seized by Russian forces, as well as the fate of about $ 300 billion in frozen Central Bank of Russia assets.
Security guarantees and reconstruction of Ukraine
According to sources, US officials plan to present Putin and his team with updated drafts of peace agreements. The key topics of discussion are expected to include security guarantees for Ukraine from the United States and Europe, as well as the country's post-war reconstruction.
Paris summit
On January 6, a meeting of Ukraine's partners was held in Paris, dedicated to future security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of an end to the war with Russia. The parties discussed developing a common position of Ukraine, Europe, and the United States, as well as the possibility of deploying foreign military contingents after a ceasefire is reached.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the creation of a coordination group to ensure rapid, effective coordination among the Coalition of the Willing, the United States, and Ukraine.
Ahead of the summit, the media published a draft declaration providing for military, intelligence, and logistical support for Ukraine, diplomatic initiatives, and strengthened sanctions against Russia, but the document has not yet been approved by state leaders.
At the same time, on January 7 in Paris, Kremlin special representative Kirill Dmitriev was spotted and, according to media reports, was received at the US embassy. Axios also reported that advisers to Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met with him to discuss the US peace plan for Ukraine.
