Putin explores agreement on Ukraine with Witkoff and Kushner
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, personal advisers to US President Donald Trump, to Moscow to discuss a possible agreement on Ukraine.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has now lasted almost four years, since it began in February 2022, and the situation remains at a standstill, with Russia claiming certain Ukrainian territories on the grounds that they historically belong to the Russian Federation and Ukraine continuing to denounce the attack on its national sovereignty and integrity.
There have been multiple contacts over the years led by the United States, the European Union and other international actors such as China, but no understanding has been reached between the parties involved to stop Russia's bloody invasion of Ukrainian territory.
At this point, Vladimir Putin recently met with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, accompanied by Josh Gruenbaum, head of the Federal Acquisition Service of the General Services Administration, to discuss the Ukrainian issue. The Kremlin continues to claim certain territories as its own and suggests that the agreement depends on these very territories.
The regions claimed by Russia are Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia. These account for 15% of Ukrainian territory, and the country led by Volodymyr Zelensky is unwilling to cede these enclaves despite the harsh military attacks carried out by the Russian army over the last four years, which intensified during the last winter to cause water and energy supply cuts, bringing more hardship and cold to the already suffering Ukrainian population.
Vladimir Putin discussed the situation in Ukraine with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for more than three hours, and the meeting lasted until the early hours of the morning as they addressed an issue that is so sensitive and important not only for Russia and Ukraine, but for the whole world due to its geopolitical significance and the involvement of important neighbours such as the European Union itself.
Vladimir Putin himself insisted that the territorial issue is essential for Russia in order to reach an agreement. Therefore, the Russian leader seems unwilling to back down from his demands while the war in Ukraine continues and a significant part of the Ukrainian country is destroyed.
Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, who participated in Putin's meeting with Witkoff and Kushner, noted that ‘it was reaffirmed that a long-term agreement cannot be expected without resolving the territorial issue,’ referring to Moscow's demand that Kyiv withdraw its troops from the eastern areas that Russia illegally annexed but which it has never fully conquered.
Complicated position for Ukraine
Ukraine continues to suffer from Russia's harsh attacks, and the patience and resistance of the Ukrainian population is running out. At this point, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky harshly criticised his main allies in Europe for their slow and insufficient response to the Russian invasion. The Ukrainian leader criticised the West for giving Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a free pass and for failing to take action against Russian President Vladimir Putin, the aggressor.
Volodymyr Zelensky announced during the Davos Forum that there will be a summit in the United Arab Emirates with delegations from the United States, Russia and Ukraine to continue negotiating an end to the Russian invasion, something that seems more than necessary at this point.
Ukraine continues to be pressured, especially by the United States, to accept a peace agreement, which would certainly be detrimental to Ukrainian interests.
A peace agreement that Donald Trump continues to pursue after becoming president of the United States for the second time, along with other peace processes he has set as goals for his second term, such as that of Gaza.