A pivotal round of diplomacy unfolded in Moscow this week as Russian President Vladimir Putin held nearly five hours of closed-door talks with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. The discussions centered on Trump’s proposed 27-point plan to end the war in Ukraine—talks Putin later described as “necessary” and “very useful,” a sign that negotiations have moved into a substantive phase.
The meeting carried added significance: it was the first high-level engagement since Trump and Putin met in Alaska in August. For Witkoff, a real-estate magnate close to Trump, it marked his sixth round of talks with Putin. Kushner’s involvement underscored the weight the Trump inner circle has placed on the effort. Putin’s unusually warm assessment of the talks sent a notable signal amid a tense global landscape.
How Trump’s 27-point plan evolved
Putin revealed that the U.S. divided Trump’s 27-point proposal into four thematic segments for discussion. The structure reflects a deliberate effort to break down the conflict into manageable components and identify areas for potential progress.
The plan itself has gone through several iterations. Early drafts reportedly contained 28 points—including provisions seen as overly favorable to Moscow, such as requiring Ukraine to surrender the entire Donbas region. European governments condemned the proposal, warning it amounted to forcing Ukraine into capitulation. After consulting with Kyiv, the U.S. condensed the plan to 19 points to better address Ukrainian sovereignty.
The version brought to Moscow this week contained 27 points—suggesting the Trump team merged previous drafts into a more comprehensive hybrid. While the details are classified, the four segments likely touch on territorial arrangements, Ukraine’s security guarantees or neutrality, sanctions relief and economic reconstruction, and humanitarian or postwar rebuilding issues.
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Moscow’s stance: cautiously open, but with limits
Putin’s positive tone does not mean Russia accepts the plan. He acknowledged disagreements and said ending the war is extraordinarily difficult. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the U.S. raised ideas related to territorial control, but that the sides had not found common ground. Some elements of the U.S. proposal were “acceptable,” he said, while others were “not.”
Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the meeting “productive” but confirmed no agreement was reached. Ushakov added that Putin conveyed several classified messages for Witkoff and Kushner to deliver directly to Trump—and that both sides agreed to keep the contents of the talks confidential. The arrangement suggests the emergence of a discreet communication channel designed to bypass public scrutiny and European interference.
Putin draws a red line on Donbas
Despite the diplomatic tone, Putin reaffirmed an uncompromising position on the Donbas. In remarks to India Today ahead of a trip to New Delhi, he said: “Russia will liberate the Donbas no matter what. Either we liberate these territories by force, or the Ukrainian army withdraws.”
The statement leaves little room for negotiation. By insisting Ukraine must either retreat or face continued Russian offensives, Putin directly challenges any peace plan premised on freezing the front lines. For any settlement effort, the fate of Donbas remains the defining obstacle.
Putin targets Europe and threatens escalation
Putin also issued a stark warning to European capitals, accusing them of attempting to revise the U.S. peace plan. Speaking at an investment forum in Moscow, he said Russia does not seek conflict with Europe, “but if Europe wants to fight Russia and starts a war, Russia is ready.”
He accused European powers of undermining peace efforts and backing proposals Moscow finds unacceptable. The rhetoric fits a broader wedge strategy aimed at exploiting Trump’s skepticism of NATO by portraying Europe—rather than Russia—as the primary obstacle to peace.
Putin’s approach is two-pronged: he signals openness to U.S. proposals while casting Europe as a spoiler, thereby positioning Trump as Moscow’s preferred negotiating partner.
Thanks to Trump, but differences remain
Despite characterizing the talks as constructive, Ushakov again emphasized that no compromise was reached on territorial issues. This aligns with Putin’s uncompromising remarks on Donbas and reflects the fundamental clash between Ukraine’s insistence on territorial integrity and Russia’s demand for control.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed gratitude for Trump’s efforts but stressed that the process remains at the “expert level” and must yield technical progress before leaders could consider a summit or formal agreement.
After leaving Moscow, Witkoff and Kushner are expected to travel to Europe for brief consultations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The shuttle diplomacy underscores the Trump team’s active role in probing for openings, though the territorial divide makes any breakthrough exceedingly difficult.
The secretive Moscow meeting marks a new chapter in the diplomatic struggle around the war. For Ukraine, the strategic environment is growing increasingly complex—and increasingly perilous.
