Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia is “ready” for a potential war with Europe as the United States prepares to deliver Ukraine’s latest peace proposal in Moscow on Tuesday. The message will be carried by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump, and Steve Witkoff, the White House special envoy, marking a new phase in Washington’s diplomatic strategy.
Kushner and Witkoff have become the United States’ primary negotiators after nearly four years of conflict, effectively displacing Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state. Rubio, who is viewed as more supportive of Ukraine, played a major role in revising the 28-point peace plan originally drafted by Witkoff, Kushner and Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, during secret talks in Miami in late October. But he will not travel to Moscow for the current round.
The White House signaled confidence ahead of the trip. Karoline Leavitt, President Trump’s press secretary, said the administration felt “very optimistic” following a meeting Sunday between Kushner, Witkoff, Rubio and Ukrainian officials in Florida. She said the negotiating team had been “working so hard” to push the war toward a conclusion and confirmed that Witkoff was already en route to Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the upcoming talks on Tuesday, warning that Moscow had begun launching new disinformation campaigns in anticipation of its meeting with the American delegation. Zelensky said Ukraine’s refined 19-point peace plan included elements “that cannot be conveyed by phone,” following criticism of the original document for echoing many of Russia’s maximalist demands.
Russian media, meanwhile, highlighted Putin’s Sunday visit to a military command post, where senior officers claimed Russian troops had captured the strategic city of Pokrovsk. Kyiv has frequently dismissed similar Russian claims in the past. Video released Monday showed Putin in military attire, visibly angered as he was briefed on high Ukrainian casualties. He blamed what he called the “criminal policies of the thieving junta,” language Ukrainian officials described as a pressure tactic aimed at the West before negotiations.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, cautioned that Putin’s “loud statements” were designed to raise diplomatic stakes. Analysts noted that despite limited Russian advances around Pokrovsk in recent weeks, Moscow remains far from controlling all the territories it claims to have annexed in 2022, including Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk, in addition to Crimea.
The earlier 28-point peace plan drafted by Witkoff and Kushner was criticized for requiring Ukraine to cede territory and cap its military at 600,000 soldiers. Ukrainian negotiators say the revised 19-point version is more balanced, though territorial questions remain the most contentious issue. Zelensky, speaking in Paris after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, said the updated proposal was “better,” but still required refinement.
Kushner, 44, continues to expand his role in foreign policy despite holding no formal government position. His business ventures, including investments linked to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, have intersected with U.S. diplomatic initiatives in the Middle East. He previously met with Sergei Gorkov, head of Russia’s state development bank, after the 2016 U.S. election, though Kushner has said no business discussions took place.
Witkoff remained in contact with Ukrainian negotiators throughout Monday, including a meeting with Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s chief negotiator. Umerov said discussions in Florida had made “significant progress” but that the plan still required “further refinement.” He wrote on X that the Ukrainian delegation appreciated the “constructive and partnership approach” from Washington and agreed to maintain close coordination.
The U.S. delegation is expected to present Ukraine’s counteroffer to Putin on Tuesday, though the Kremlin has shown little flexibility ahead of the talks. Putin has maintained that hostilities will continue until Ukraine withdraws from all territory claimed by Russia, a position Kyiv and its Western allies reject.
