Moscow, Russia – The Kremlin has expressed openness to a potential meeting between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. businessman Robert Witkoff, who is currently in moscow for discussions regarding a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. This growth comes as former U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened new economic measures against Russia if a ceasefire isn’t achieved by Friday, November 29th.
Peskov indicated that Russia values contact with Witkoff, describing it as “vital, meaningful and useful.” He added that a meeting between Witkoff and Putin is a possibility.Witkoff, a New York-based real estate developer, has been involved in backchannel diplomacy efforts related to the conflict.
Trump has proposed imposing sanctions and secondary tariffs on Moscow to deter other nations from trading with Russia should a ceasefire not materialize.However, he acknowledged Russia’s demonstrated ability to circumvent existing sanctions, which are already the most extensive levied against any country globally. The U.S.Treasury Department has imposed over 18,000 sanctions on individuals and entities connected to Russia since February 2022.
Previous attempts at negotiation, consisting of three rounds of talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives begining in the spring of 2023, have failed to yield a breakthrough. These talks were held in locations including Istanbul, Turkey, and Belarus.
President Putin recently reaffirmed Russia’s primary objective in the conflict: to address the perceived root causes of the crisis in ukraine and to guarantee Russia’s national security. This stance reflects long-held Russian concerns regarding NATO expansion eastward, especially the potential membership of ukraine, which shares a 1,222-mile border with Russia.
Moscow continues to demand that Ukraine adopt a neutral status, significantly reduce its military capabilities, and renounce its aspirations to join NATO as preconditions for peace. These demands are currently considered unacceptable by both Kyiv and its Western allies, who view them as infringing upon Ukraine’s sovereignty and right to self-determination. Ukraine’s constitution explicitly states its goal of full membership in the European Union and NATO.
