Ukraine peace negotiations progressed through intensive diplomatic sessions as President Trump set clear presidential summit prerequisites for his direct engagement. Trump announced he would meet with Russian and Ukrainian leaders only when peace discussions reach what he characterized as final or near-final agreement stages.
The deployment of senior American officials to both Moscow and Kyiv represents sustained commitment to pursuing a negotiated settlement. Steve Witkoff’s Moscow mission and Dan Driscoll’s Ukrainian engagement aim to address remaining disagreements in a framework that has undergone multiple revisions.
Trump expressed strong confidence in recent negotiating progress, claiming that extensive consultations have substantially narrowed differences between Russian and Ukrainian positions. The president pointed to refinements made to initial proposals as evidence of productive diplomatic engagement.
Despite administration optimism about the negotiating trajectory, considerable international skepticism persists regarding prospects for achieving an agreement both parties can genuinely accept. Expert analysts emphasize that core incompatibilities continue presenting significant obstacles to durable settlement.
Ukrainian officials have publicly signaled their desire for direct Trump-Zelensky meetings to address the most sensitive territorial issues. European leaders coordinated their response through a multinational conference call that included Ukrainian President Zelensky and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.