Putin receives Witkoff – which is now being negotiated in Moscow | EUROtoday

faq

As of: December 2nd, 2025 5:15 a.m

At the weekend he negotiated with Ukraine and on Tuesday with Putin: Trump’s particular envoy Witkoff should sound out within the Kremlin whether or not Russia will comply with a peace plan. What are the sticking factors?

What is thought concerning the standing of the negotiations?

At this level, little is thought concerning the progress of the talks. Over the weekend, U.S. and Ukrainian officers met in Miami to debate modifications to the Trump administration’s unique 28-point plan, which largely aligned with Russian pursuits.

After this plan turned recognized in November, main European states, the EU and Ukraine pushed for modifications – then there have been talks in Geneva, which apparently resulted in a modified paper and had been continued in Miami.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio subsequently described the Miami talks as “very productive”. The purpose is not only peace, but in addition to assist Ukraine “be secure forever so that it never has to fear invasion again.”

What are the sticking factors within the negotiations?

Ukraine needs an unconditional ceasefire after which needs to barter every thing else. Russia, then again, needs to see its calls for met earlier than it agrees to a ceasefire.

The central level of the Russians is that they insist on ceding territory to Ukraine. Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin calls for that Ukraine utterly resign the Donbass, i.e. the Luhansk and Donetsk areas – and in addition withdraw from the components that it nonetheless controls. Ukraine has up to now rejected this.

Moscow additionally claims the Kherson and Zaporizhia areas. However, there have been studies for the reason that summer season that Putin can be prepared to freeze the entrance line right here. So a few of these areas would stay a part of Ukraine. The USA’s unique 28-point plan additionally offers for this.

The Russians additionally need demilitarization and a impartial standing for Ukraine – with out becoming a member of NATO. At the identical time, they’re calling for a cease to Western arms deliveries and the withdrawal of sanctions.

From Ukraine’s perspective, legally acknowledged cessions of territory are out of the query. The extent to which it is going to even have to provide in to sure calls for is presently speculative.

In any case, concessions on territorial points rely upon what safety ensures Ukraine receives and who shall be accountable for them in an emergency. Ukraine will subsequently not formally quit its long-term purpose of becoming a member of NATO – however membership within the close to future is unrealistic.

What are the considerations of Ukrainians and Europeans?

The Ukrainians’ concern for months has been that the US will over their heads and comply with an settlement to their detriment. Trump’s need to shelve the conflict as rapidly as potential so as to have the ability to do enterprise with Russia once more has develop into clear many times in latest months.

Since the calls for of the Ukrainians and Russians seem so incompatible on key factors, the Ukrainians concern that the USA will withdraw their navy assist if they don’t seem to be ready to comply with a dictated peace, particularly in accordance with Moscow’s concepts. In addition to US weapons, intelligence info is especially vital for the Ukrainian protection marketing campaign.

Europeans are involved concerning the conclusions that Russia might draw from an settlement that could be very advantageous for Moscow – and concerning the penalties for transatlantic relations. Russia might really feel emboldened to assault Ukraine once more after a interval of navy restoration beneath a pretext and in addition to more and more stabilize – if not assault – the EU states, for instance within the Baltics.

The Europeans concern that the USA will connect even much less significance to NATO sooner or later and that they may now not have the ability to depend on the dedication to supply help. The 28-point plan that the USA and Russia had quietly negotiated in latest months was seen by some as a type of divorce paper, submitted by Donald Trump.

How lifelike is it that there shall be an settlement quickly?

For the second, everybody concerned within the negotiations is optimistic. How a lot of this stays in Moscow after Steve Witkoff’s talks stays to be seen. On the opposite hand, there’s largely nice skepticism amongst political observers. At the top of final week, Russian President Putin as soon as once more confirmed his most territorial calls for as non-negotiable.

At the identical time, it appears arduous to think about that the Europeans would acknowledge de jure the Russian claims to Crimea and the Luhansk and Donetsk areas of their entirety, in addition to to the now conquered components of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson areas.

“Nothing” of what’s presently being negotiated “will lead to peace or a deal,” writes Janis Kluge from the Berlin analysis institute SWP on X.

And Russia skilled Tatiana Stanovaya sees an issue in Witkoff himself. He is simply too weak as a negotiator to attain actual outcomes. Furthermore, from a Russian perspective, all negotiations suffered from the truth that there was no remaining and tangible paper on the desk. At the identical time, Putin is extra assured than ever that he can obtain his targets on the battlefield.