On December 3, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump described the path forward for Ukraine peace talks as unclear, following what he called "reasonably good" discussions in Moscow between envoys and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and advisor Jared Kushner spent over four hours at the Kremlin, outlining draft proposals aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine. They will now take their ideas to Ukrainian officials in Miami on December 5.
Key takeaways:
- Mixed feedback from Russia: Putin accepted some proposals, rejected others.
- Ongoing expert-level discussions are shaping a potential framework.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists any deal must protect Ukraine's interests.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on December 4, President Trump said the envoys briefed him via phone and sensed Putin was open to a deal, but that "it does take two to tango."
In his nightly video address, President Zelenskyy said his team is preparing for Thursday's meetings in Miami, stressing that "only by taking Ukraine's interests into account is a dignified peace possible."
The talks follow a leaked set of U.S. draft peace proposals that raised alarms among Ukrainian and European officials, and a European counter-proposal presented at a recent Geneva meeting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the exchange as a "normal working process of finding a compromise."
As envoys move to Miami, the world watches closely—can these talks break the current impasse and pave the way for a lasting peace?
Reference(s):
Trump says next steps for Ukraine talks unclear after Moscow meeting
cgtn.com
