As the 100th day of his second term approaches at the end of April, U.S. President Donald Trump is increasing his calls for Russia and Ukraine to resolve their ongoing conflict, albeit at the cost of territorial concessions.
Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy with a background in real estate, arrived in Moscow on Friday, according to reports from Interfax. Witkoff is slated to engage in further peace discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, having met with him three times before. This comes at a particularly delicate time for U.S.-Russia relations, which have seen slight improvements since Trump’s return to the presidency in January.
The Kremlin has largely approached the U.S.-backed negotiations for peace in Ukraine—resulting in a partially observed ceasefire regarding energy infrastructure last month—with a mix of cordiality and stubbornness. Trump has notably criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his reluctance to make concessions and for insisting on explicit security guarantees. The U.S. President has publicly asserted that Zelenskyy is overestimating his negotiating power within this conflict.
Recent escalations in Russian attacks on Kyiv following a lull during the Easter holiday prompted Trump to voice his discontent with Putin on Thursday.
“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv,” Trump stated on his Truth Social platform. “Not necessary, and very bad timing,” he added, urging, “Vladimir, STOP!”
In a separate press briefing, Trump emphasized his dissatisfaction, saying, “I didn’t like last night, I wasn’t happy with it. We’re putting a lot of pressure on Russia, and Russia knows that.”
Trump’s dissatisfaction is compounded by the slow progress of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts, which Washington appears poised to reconsider. This week, planned talks in London involving U.S., U.K., French, German, and Ukrainian officials were downgraded after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Witkoff withdrew.
“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process,” stated U.S. Vice President JD Vance earlier this week.
The specifics of the U.S. peace proposal remain unclear, but Axios reports that it may include U.S. acknowledgment of Russia’s occupation of Crimea, lifting sanctions imposed since 2014, and Ukraine’s assurance against pursuing NATO membership—a core issue cited by the Kremlin in its 2022 invasion.
In exchange, Ukraine would receive security guarantees against future incursions, regain part of the Kharkiv region—which was annexed by Russia—and obtain assistance for reconstruction efforts.
Finance Newso has not been able to independently verify the details of this framework and has reached out to the White House for further clarification.
If this proposal takes shape, it would signal a significant shift for Ukraine, as its leadership has consistently ruled out any territorial concessions.
Earlier in the week, Vance suggested that achieving peace would necessitate both parties agreeing to halt hostilities and potentially solidifying territorial lines similar to their current state.
“The current lines, somewhere close to them, is where you’re ultimately, I think, going to draw the lines in the conflict. Now, of course, that means the Ukrainians and the Russians are both going to have to give some of the territory they currently own. There’s going to have to be some territorial swaps,” he explained.
This notion has faced backlash from Zelenskyy, who firmly rejected the idea of conceding any sovereignty: “Ukraine does not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There is nothing to talk about. It is beyond our Constitution,” he asserted.
However, members of Ukraine’s military leadership seem somewhat more amenable to the concept, with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko mentioning in a BBC News interview that a temporary concession could be a potential solution for peace, despite acknowledging its unfairness.
