US Leader, Donald Trump has announced that he is dispatching his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week as the US President seeks to conclude a deal to end the war in Ukraine.Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that there were only a few remaining points of disagreement, though European leaders remained skeptical as Russian missiles continued to strike Ukraine. He also expressed hope to meet soon with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages. Trump later told journalists aboard Air Force One that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, may join Witkoff in Moscow.The process to end the war may have originated from a conversation between Witkoff and Putins foreign policy advisor, where Witkoff reportedly advised the creation of a 20-point peace plan for Ukraine just like we did in Gaza, urging Putin to discuss it with Trump.The original 28-point proposal, backed by Trump and widely seen as favoring Moscow, has since been replaced by an amended version that incorporates more of Kyivs interests. An official familiar with the revised document told AFP it was significantly better.Witkoff is scheduled to discuss this new version with Putin in Moscow. However, French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed doubts about a rapid solution. Speaking after a call among the "coalition of the willing" that supports Kyiv, Macron warned on Tuesday that there is clearly no Russian willingness for a ceasefire or to engage with the new, more Ukraine-friendly proposal.Despite the skepticism, US negotiator Dan Driscoll emerged upbeat from his meetings with Russian counterparts, with his spokesman stating: The talks are going well and we remain optimistic. The White House cited tremendous progress, while cautioning there are a few delicate but not insurmountable details that must be sorted out.The war, which began with Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, continued unabated. On Tuesday night, Russia launched strikes on Zaporizhzhia that wounded 18 people and damaged 31 apartment blocks. The night before, powerful explosions rocked Kyiv as Russian drones and missiles rained down, setting fires in apartment buildings, with city officials reporting seven fatalities. Thick smoke rose over the capital as residents fled underground into metro stations.Trump, who previously boasted he could negotiate an end to the Ukraine war within 24 hours, had initially announced last week that he wanted his proposal approved by Kyiv by this Thursdaythe US Thanksgiving holiday. However, the initial plan, which included numerous Russian war aims such as prohibitions on Ukraine ever joining NATO and the surrender of swaths of new territory to Russia, sparked alarm in Ukraine and Europe.The updated plan appears to be more palatable to Kyiv. The official familiar with the text noted that a key improvement was raising a proposed cap on Ukraines future military forces from 600,000 to 800,000 members. Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said Tuesday there was common understanding on the core of the deal between Ukraine and the United States. However, he stressed that remaining details should be hammered out in direct talks at the earliest suitable date.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned: Theres still a long way to go and a tough road ahead.Russias military currently occupies around a fifth of Ukraine, and tens of thousands of people have been killed, with millions having fled the east of the country.
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