Trump Directs Witkoff to Meet Putin as Ukraine Peace Talks Gain Traction
GENEVA – Former President Donald Trump has instructed real estate developer Don Witkoff to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as momentum builds in ongoing discussions aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to teh conflict in Ukraine. The directive comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity, including talks held Sunday in Geneva between top US and European officials.
The move signals a potential shift in backchannel efforts to negotiate an end to the war, tho the specifics of Witkoff’s role and the scope of his discussions remain unclear. Concurrently, the European Union has laid out firm red lines for any potential agreement, emphasizing Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereign right to self-defense, and its future integration with Europe. these developments occur as Ukraine continues to reject Russian demands for territorial concessions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously dismissed Russia’s proposals to cede the eastern Donbas region in exchange for portions of the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions currently held by Russia.
the EU’s three core principles, articulated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, are that Ukraine’s “borders cannot be changed by force,” that limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces that would leave the country vulnerable to future attack are unacceptable, and that ukraine must retain the freedom to choose its own destiny, including full integration into Europe’s single market and defense industrial base.
Von der Leyen stated Sunday, “Second, as a sovereign nation, there cannot be limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces that would leave the country vulnerable to future attack and thereby also undermining European security.” She concluded, “Third, the centrality of the European Union in securing peace for Ukraine must be fully reflected. Ukraine must have the freedom and sovereign right to choose its own destiny. They have chosen a European destiny.”
CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova, Catherine Nicholls and Kara Fox contributed to this post.
