US envoy Steve Witkoff says Ukraine-Russia peace talks are ‘down to one issue’ as he heads to Moscow with Jared Kushner for negotiations.
DAVOS: Talks to end the war in Ukraine are “down to one issue” between Kyiv and Moscow, according to US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
“I think we’ve got it down to one issue, and we have discussed iterations of that issue, and that means it’s solvable,” Witkoff said at a Ukrainian event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.
He declined to detail the remaining issue ahead of his trip to Moscow later on Thursday with Jared Kushner.
The pair will not stay overnight and will fly directly to Abu Dhabi for continued talks in “military to military” working groups.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in December that two main sticking points were the fate of captured territories and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
The Kremlin confirmed President Vladimir Putin would meet with Witkoff during the visit.
US President Donald Trump repeated his belief that Putin and Zelensky were close to a deal.
“I believe they’re at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done,” Trump said.
The diplomatic push continues as Russian strikes have left most of Kyiv without electricity and thousands without heat.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised Trump’s peace efforts but stressed Ukraine still needs military help.
“What we need is to keep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine,” Rutte said, highlighting the need for interceptors against ongoing Russian attacks.
