The political effort to end the fighting in Ukraine might be facing a "pivotal week," the European Union's foreign policy chief has observed, as a representative for former President Donald Trump gets ready to hold talks with Vladimir Putin following recent discussions with Ukrainian officials.
Envoy Amid Questionable Ties with Russia Set for Meeting
Steve Witkoff, the property developer turned envoy, is set to meet with Putin in Moscow on Tuesday, as announced by. Witkoff was in recent reports exposed for advising Russian representatives on methods to secure Trump's support.
"This may be a decisive week for negotiations," said the EU's top diplomat, but emphasizing it was "evident that Russia is not interested in peace."
Ukrainian Leader's European Tour for Support
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy began a mission to rally support from Ukraine's European partners. He conferred with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday to discuss "the terms of a fair and lasting peace," the Élysée Palace reported.
The Ukrainian leader is furthermore expected to make his initial diplomatic trip to Ireland on Tuesday. Concurrently, his defense chief, Denys Shmyhal, was in Brussels on Monday for talks with his EU colleagues.
Frustration over American Negotiations
The EU official expressed unease that Europeans were not present in weekend talks held in Florida between the US and Ukraine, which she characterized as "difficult but productive." When asked about trusting the US to secure a good outcome for Ukraine, she noted, "Ukraine's representatives are there by themselves. If they were together with the Europeans, they would definitely be much stronger."
Writing on the platform X, Zelenskyy stated the US talks had been "highly productive" but that there were "a number of challenging issues that remain to be worked through."
Anxiety over US Proposals
European leaders were earlier concerned by a US framework that surfaced last month, which was seen as skewed in Russia's interest. Its alleged terms included granting Moscow areas in eastern Ukraine it did not yet control, forcing Kyiv to cap the size of its army, and abandoning its ambition to join NATO. While that initial plan has reportedly been scaled back, Witkoff's upcoming visit to Moscow—his sixth meeting with Putin—is likely to heighten unease in Kyiv and across European governments.
Witkoff is expected to fly to Russia on Monday, with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to advance peace talks. Kushner previously played an key role in negotiations over a Gaza peace deal. The Kremlin has not confirmed whether Kushner would also be present at the meeting with Putin.
Weekend Talks and Domestic Strain
The two close Trump representatives took part in the weekend talks between senior Ukrainian and US officials, which took place at a exclusive golf club developed by Witkoff's company.
After the session, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope for an end to the war. "More work to be done. This is sensitive," Rubio said. "We have a lot of elements, and clearly there's another party involved here... that will have to be a part of the process."
Amid the diplomatic pressure, President Zelenskyy is under domestic strain following the sudden resignation of his head of cabinet and closest adviser, Andriy Yermak. The resignation came in the wake of a expanding anti-corruption investigation that has become the most serious crisis of Zelenskyy's presidency.
