A senior Kremlin official confirmed on Wednesday that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to visit Moscow next week, marking a significant step in accelerating diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Yuri Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, emphasized that while communication channels remain open, no formal U.S. peace proposal has been presented. This comes despite recent talks involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi earlier this week. Ushakov stated, ‘Contact is ongoing, including via telephone, but no one has yet sat down at a round table and discussed this point-by-point.’ Ukrainian officials have yet to confirm whether U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, a key figure in recent peace initiatives, will visit Kyiv in the coming days. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed cautious optimism about a U.S.-proposed peace plan, describing it as ‘workable’ after weekend discussions in Geneva, though critical issues remain unresolved. Meanwhile, Russia’s ongoing military aggression continues to cast a shadow over diplomatic efforts. A recent drone attack on Zaporizhzhia damaged over 50 residential buildings and injured 19 people, while Russian air defenses intercepted 33 Ukrainian drones. European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, have stressed the importance of Ukrainian sovereignty and European security in any peace agreement. Von der Leyen highlighted that Ukraine’s security is integral to Europe’s stability, rejecting any limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces or its path to NATO membership.
Kremlin confirms US envoy’s visit as talks on ending war in Ukraine gain momentum
