Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff during a meeting in Moscow, Russia, April 25, 2025. Sputnik/Kristina Kormilitsyna/Pool via REUTERS
Trump Envoy Meets Putin in Moscow as U.S. Pushes Forward Ukraine Peace Plan
April 25, 2025 — Moscow / Washington / Kyiv
Kremlin Reports Progress Following Three-Hour Meeting
U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, held a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday, in what the Kremlin described as a “constructive and very useful” discussion regarding a U.S.-led initiative to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting marked one of the highest-level contacts between Washington and Moscow in recent months as diplomatic efforts intensify.
Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, who participated in the meeting, stated that the talks included discussions on the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine — the first such talks since the early stages of the full-scale war, which began in February 2022.
Trump Signals Optimism, Despite Lack of Briefing
President Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis, acknowledged he had not yet been formally briefed on the meeting but was told it had gone “pretty good.” In a subsequent social media post, Trump noted that progress on a peace deal was advancing, writing: “SUCCESS seems to be in the future!”
Trump also used the opportunity to criticize Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for delays in signing a rare earths agreement with the United States. Zelenskiy, who is also expected to attend the Pope’s funeral, said on Friday that his attendance remained uncertain due to the ongoing situation.
Security Concerns Surround Moscow Talks
The Moscow meeting took place just hours after a car bomb near the Russian capital killed a senior military officer — an attack the Kremlin attributed to Ukrainian operatives. The incident occurred shortly after Trump condemned a Russian missile and drone strike on Kyiv, which killed at least 12 people. In a social media message addressed directly to Putin, Trump wrote: “Vladimir, STOP!”
Witkoff’s Diplomatic Role and Criticism
Steve Witkoff, a real estate billionaire with no prior diplomatic experience, has emerged as the Trump administration’s primary liaison with the Kremlin on Ukraine. Since joining Trump’s team in January, Witkoff has played a central role in shaping and presenting the U.S. peace framework. His diplomatic credentials and perceived sympathies toward Russia have drawn criticism, particularly following comments in a recent interview with U.S. commentator Tucker Carlson, where he dismissed the notion that Russia aimed to expand further into Europe as “preposterous.”
His recent comments have raised concerns among Ukrainian and European officials, many of whom reject any suggestion that Moscow lacks expansionist ambitions. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied intentions to target NATO territory, accusing the West of “Russophobia.”
U.S. Proposal Continues to Face Resistance
The U.S. peace proposal, which Witkoff presented earlier this month to European officials in Paris and later to Ukrainian negotiators in London, includes formal U.S. recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea and de facto recognition of Russia’s hold on parts of southern and eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian and European officials have categorically rejected these terms, with their counterproposal deferring all territorial issues until after a ceasefire is implemented.
President Zelenskiy reiterated this week that acknowledging Russian sovereignty over Crimea would violate Ukraine’s constitution. Trump, however, reaffirmed his stance in a TIME magazine interview published Friday, stating: “Crimea will stay with Russia. And Zelenskiy understands that, and everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time.”
Additional Points of Contention Remain
Aside from territorial disputes, differences remain over the conditions under which sanctions on Russia would be lifted, the nature of future security guarantees for Ukraine, and the permissible scale of Ukraine’s post-war military. The Ukrainian-European proposal includes robust guarantees, including potential U.S. participation in an “Article 5-like” mutual defense agreement. It also suggests that sanctions be eased only after a sustainable peace is reached and that reparations be drawn from frozen Russian assets abroad.
By contrast, the U.S. proposal envisions more immediate sanctions relief and does not detail the source of financial compensation to Ukraine.
COMMENTS