U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to the Kremlin next week for talks on a potential peace deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov has confirmed.

The announcement comes amid reports of progress following the release of a revised 28‑point framework negotiated in Geneva earlier this week.

On November 24, U.S. and Ukrainian officials reached what they described as a “common understanding” on the plan’s outline, with Kyiv securing amendments to an earlier draft leaked last week. Trump has tasked Witkoff and U.S. Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll with advancing negotiations, while hinting at possible involvement from his son‑in‑law Jared Kushner.

The revised proposal reportedly requires Ukraine to cede Donbas and Crimea to Russia, cap its military at 600,000 troops, and commit to neutrality outside NATO. In return, Ukraine would gain EU accession, a U.S. defense pact, and reconstruction funding drawn from $100 billion in frozen Russian assets, overseen by a Trump‑chaired Peace Council.

Trump described the original draft as “just a concept” and dismissed talk of deadlines, saying: “The deadline for me is when it’s over.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the amendments as a “right approach” and signaled readiness to meet Trump by month’s end to resolve “sensitive points,” including security guarantees and border control in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow favored the initial draft but warned that substantial changes could alter the dynamics. The Kremlin has not yet received the updated version. President Vladimir Putin, absent from the G20 summit in South Africa due to an ICC warrant, conveyed openness through aide Maxim Oreshkin, who criticized Western aid to Ukraine as fueling corruption.

European leaders remain cautious. French President Emmanuel Macron said he saw “no Russian will for a ceasefire,” while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned the process was “a long way to go.” France, the UK, and other allies have formed a task force with Washington to accelerate security guarantees for Kyiv.

The plan’s territorial concessions and military restrictions have divided opinion in Ukraine, with Zelenskyy rejecting any compromise on sovereignty but facing mounting pressure as winter sets in and Russian strikes intensify. Fighting continued Tuesday in Zaporizhzhia, leaving seven wounded and cutting power to 40,000 residents.

Informed observers note Trump’s push for a year‑end breakthrough — seen by some as an effort to secure a Nobel Peace Prize — risks alienating European allies while potentially rewarding Russia’s aggression.