U.S. Envoy Witkoff in Moscow: Zelensky Insists on Intensified Push on Putin - US representative in Moscow reports: Zelenskyy advocates for increased pressure on Putin
In the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the latest negotiations have seen complex proposals and responses from key figures, including US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
US Special Envoy Witkoff's Talks
Witkoff recently visited Moscow for talks with Kremlin officials. After these discussions, he reportedly relayed Putin's demands to European officials, which included Ukraine ceding strategic territories in Donetsk and Luhansk, and freezing the frontline in Kherson and Zaporizhia. Putin suggested withdrawing from northeastern Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts as a "sign of goodwill" in exchange for Ukraine ceding the rest of unoccupied Donetsk Oblast. However, there is uncertainty about whether Putin intends to withdraw from occupied areas in Zaporizhia and Kherson.
Responses from Key Figures
President Zelensky has rejected Putin's demands, emphasizing Ukraine's stance on not ceding territory to Russia. Trump has been pushing for a ceasefire, setting deadlines for Moscow to reach an agreement with Kyiv. Initially, the deadline was set for 50 days, but it was later shortened to August 8 amid dissatisfaction over Russian actions in Ukraine. Trump is set to meet Putin in the coming days as part of efforts to broker a ceasefire. Putin insists that any peace agreement must include Ukraine recognizing Russia's annexations of Crimea and four other regions, declaring neutrality, and limiting its military capabilities. Russia has proposed a package that includes halting Ukraine's mobilization, freezing Western arms deliveries, and banning third-country forces on Ukrainian soil.
Future Prospects
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, analysts believe that Russia has little incentive to pursue a ceasefire due to its economic and strategic position. The likelihood of any agreement being respected remains low, with assessments suggesting that Russian forces may violate any ceasefire or peace agreement. A summit between Trump and Putin is anticipated, which could potentially lead to further developments in the negotiations. However, the success of these efforts remains uncertain.
The warring parties have met three times under the mediation of Turkey and the US in Istanbul, but there has been no progress regarding a ceasefire. Russia has intensified its drone and rocket attacks on Ukraine, launching more long-range drones in July than ever before since the start of the war in February 2022. In renewed Russian attacks on Wednesday, a holiday center in Saporischschja was hit, resulting in the death of two people and the injury of twelve others, including four children.
Ukrainian authorities also reported a Russian attack in Pokrovsk in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, resulting in the death of a man born in 1959. Iwan Fedorow, the governor of the Saporischschja region, reported that Russia attacked the holiday center in the morning around 06:00 with "at least four" air strikes. Fedorow wrote that this attack had no military sense and was pure cruelty to scare people. Zelensky wrote in online media that it is important for all levers available to the United States, Europe, and the G7 countries to be strengthened to enable a true ceasefire in Ukraine.
Trump threatened Russia with further sanctions if Moscow did not end the war in Ukraine by Friday. Trump announced secondary sanctions against Russian trading partners such as China and India. The Kremlin stated that threats regarding customs duties against Russia's trading partners are "illegal." Russia demands full control over these areas and a renunciation by Ukraine of a NATO membership, which Kyiv has consistently rejected.
In a move that could potentially influence the negotiations, Witkoff is currently in Moscow. However, the content of the conversation between Witkoff and Putin was not initially disclosed. Pictures from the rescue teams showed firefighters fighting fires at the holiday accommodations and dead and injured people on the ground. Despite these developments, the future of the ceasefire negotiations remains uncertain.
- The United States Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, discussed the matter further with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, in a meeting at the Kremlin, proposing complex proposals and responses related to war-and-conflicts in Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine, including the freezing of frontlines in specific regions and the withdrawal of Russian forces from certain territories.
- As political discussions continue between the US, the European Union, and Russia, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has been advocating for general-news pertaining to a ceasefire in Ukraine, proposing deadlines and pushing for agreements, with potential negotiations with Putin happening in the near future, as Russia insists on specific terms such as Ukraine's recognition of annexed territories and limitations on Ukrainian military capabilities.
