On Tuesday, December 2, 2025, the world’s attention turned to Moscow as Russian President Vladimir Putin prepared to meet with Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy appointed by President Donald Trump, for a high-stakes discussion on a possible end to the Russia-Ukraine war. Adding to the intrigue, Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, was also slated to attend the summit, signaling the seriousness and complexity of the diplomatic efforts underway.
This pivotal meeting followed two days of intense negotiations in Florida between Ukrainian and American officials, including Witkoff and Kushner. According to BBC, these talks aimed to refine a U.S.-backed peace plan that many in Kyiv and across Europe viewed as tilting in Moscow’s favor. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the Florida discussions as “constructive,” but didn’t sugarcoat the challenges ahead: “Some tough issues still have to be worked through.”
The Ukrainian delegation in Florida was led by Rustem Umerov, the country’s National Security and Defense Council secretary. Umerov had only recently stepped into the role, replacing Andriy Yermak, who resigned amid a corruption scandal that erupted after a raid on his home by anti-corruption agencies. The diplomatic shuffle underscored the high stakes and internal pressures facing Ukraine as it navigates both war and political turbulence.
The backdrop to these negotiations is a controversial 28-point peace proposal from the Trump administration, which leaked on November 20, 2025. The plan, according to TIME and BBC, called for Ukraine to reduce its military and make significant land concessions, including a pledge that Kyiv would not seek NATO membership—one of President Zelensky’s long-held goals. The proposal’s suggestion that Ukraine relinquish territory, notably Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk, as de-facto Russian, and freeze the status of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia along the current lines of contact, sparked widespread alarm in Kyiv and among European allies.
Ukrainian officials have consistently rejected the idea of ceding territory. As Zelensky put it during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on December 1, “Putin wants legal recognition for what he has stolen, to break the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty. That is the main problem.” Zelensky’s stance has remained firm: no significant land concessions and a demand that frozen Russian assets be used to help rebuild Ukraine.
Macron, standing alongside Zelensky, echoed the Ukrainian president’s concerns and condemned Russia’s ongoing aggression. He emphasized that any peace plan must involve input from Ukraine and European nations, especially on issues like territorial concessions, security guarantees, and the use of frozen Russian assets. “There is currently no finalized peace plan to speak of,” Macron insisted, highlighting the ongoing negotiations and unresolved issues.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, also weighed in, warning that the Moscow talks risked placing undue pressure on Ukraine to surrender. “I am afraid that all the pressure will be put on the weaker side, because that is the easier way to stop this war when Ukraine surrenders, but this is not in anybody’s interest,” Kallas told media outlets on December 1.
Security guarantees for Ukraine have emerged as a central focus of the negotiations. Both Kyiv and its European partners are pushing for strong assurances—such as NATO membership or other binding commitments—that would prevent future Russian aggression. However, Russia has flatly rejected the idea of NATO expansion, and President Trump has also ruled out allowing Ukraine to join the alliance, according to BBC. The leaked U.S. proposal did include a vague promise of “reliable security guarantees” for Ukraine, but the specifics remain murky, leaving European officials uneasy about enforcement and credibility.
The issue of territory remains the thorniest sticking point. The proposal’s call for the United States to recognize Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk as Russian, and to freeze Kherson and Zaporizhzhia along the current front lines, was met with outrage in Kyiv. According to TIME, the plan even suggested that Ukraine withdraw from parts of Donetsk Oblast it still controls, effectively handing over strategically vital ground. George Barros, a senior analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, described Donetsk Oblast as “Ukraine's best fortified, best defended terrain at this time,” warning that ceding it would open the door for deeper Russian advances.
Russia, for its part, has remained unyielding. President Putin, speaking during a recent trip to Kyrgyzstan, declared that pursuing a peace deal was “pointless” as long as Zelensky remained in power. He laid out his hardline terms: “If Ukrainian forces leave the territories they hold then we will stop combat operations. If they don’t, then we will achieve it by military means.” These remarks, reported by TIME, underscore the bitter deadlock between Moscow and Kyiv.
The military situation on the ground continues to complicate diplomacy. Just hours before the Moscow summit, Russian officials claimed to have captured the key towns of Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) and Vovchansk in eastern Ukraine. However, Ukrainian authorities did not confirm these reports, and open-source intelligence suggested that neither city had been fully seized by Russian forces, as BBC noted. The fog of war, as ever, clouds the facts.
Meanwhile, a recent leaked audio recording surfaced, appearing to show Witkoff advising a Russian official on how best to appeal to Trump. President Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, defended his envoy, saying he hadn’t heard the audio but that it was a “standard form of negotiation” for a “dealmaker.” The incident added another layer of intrigue—and controversy—to the already fraught peace process.
Despite these challenges, the White House struck an optimistic note. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on December 1 that the draft peace deal had “been very much refined,” adding, “I think the administration feels very optimistic. But as for the details, I will let the negotiators negotiate. But we do feel quite good, and we're hopeful that this war can finally come to an end.”
European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, participated in discussions with Witkoff, Zelensky, and Umerov ahead of the Moscow talks, either in person or virtually. Their involvement highlighted the international stakes and the broad coalition seeking a durable, just peace.
As the Moscow summit unfolds, the world watches with bated breath. The outcome could reshape not just the future of Ukraine, but the security architecture of Europe itself. Yet, with deep divisions over territory, security guarantees, and the fundamental principles of sovereignty at play, a breakthrough remains far from certain. The coming days will reveal whether diplomacy can bridge the gap—or if the guns will keep blazing.