Russian President Vladimir Putin met U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the Kremlin on Tuesday, marking the highest-level contact yet in Donald Trump’s push to broker a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

In Washington, President Donald Trump said U.S. envoys were in Russia “right now” working to resolve a conflict he called “a mess,” insisting it “never would have happened” had he been president earlier. He repeated that the U.S. is no longer funding the war, saying Washington now sells equipment to NATO allies “at 100% price.”

In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin said Russia does not seek war with Europe but is prepared if challenged. A direct confrontation, he warned, could escalate “very quickly,” contrasting it with what he described as Russia’s “surgical” campaign in Ukraine.

NATO and Ukraine Await Signals

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said there is still no alliance consensus on Ukraine’s membership. He stressed, however, that NATO and the U.S. are working closely on possible security guarantees as peace efforts continue.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he expects updates from U.S. negotiators after their meetings in Moscow and is “ready to receive all signals,” including the possibility of talks with Trump depending on progress.

Russia Steps Up Battlefield Messaging

Russia released new drone footage of Vovchansk, a town it claims to have recently taken in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. Putin also reiterated that Pokrovsk, in the Donetsk region, is fully under Russian control and called it a key staging point for operations.

Tensions rose further after a Russian tanker was hit by a drone off Turkey’s Black Sea coast. Putin threatened intensified strikes on Ukrainian ports and suggested possible measures against vessels from countries aiding Kyiv. He said the “most radical” option would be cutting Ukraine off from the sea entirely.

Peace Proposals Spark Alarm in Kyiv and Europe

Trump has repeatedly said he wants to end the war, which his administration describes as a “bloodbath” and “a proxy war.” His efforts, including an August summit with Putin in Alaska, have yet to produce results.

Last week, a leaked set of 28 U.S. draft peace proposals caused alarm in Kyiv and European capitals, with critics saying it conceded to key Russian demands — including limits on Ukraine’s army, Russia’s control of roughly a fifth of Ukraine, and the NATO question.

European states issued a counter-proposal. During talks in Geneva, the U.S. and Ukraine said they had created an “updated and refined peace framework.”

Putin has said discussions remain focused on proposals rather than a formal draft agreement but suggested they could serve as a basis for future talks.

Kyiv Pushes Back: “Time to Force Russia to End the War”

Ukraine responded sharply on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia’s actions in the Black Sea “threaten freedom of navigation” and argued that “it is time to force Russia to end the war.” He said Putin’s latest remarks show “he does not plan to end the war,” urging partners to increase pressure.

Putin insists he is ready for peace talks, but warns that if Ukraine refuses, Russian forces will advance and seize more territory.

Russian forces currently control over 19% of Ukraine — about 115,600 sq km — around one percentage point more than two years ago. They have advanced in 2025 at the fastest rate since 2022, according to pro-Ukrainian mapping. Commanders told Putin this week they had captured Pokrovsk and Vovchansk.

U.S. officials estimate over 1.2 million men have been killed or injured since the war began. Neither side discloses official casualty counts.

Security Guarantees and High-Level Meetings

Ukraine says any settlement accepting Russian territorial gains would be capitulation, though Washington has floated a possible 10-year security guarantee for Kyiv.

In Florida on Sunday, Steven Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s national security council, at Witkoff’s Shell Bay club.

Zelenskyy said the next phase of the peace process hinges on the outcome of Tuesday’s U.S.–Russia talks.
“The next steps will depend on the signals we receive,” he told reporters in Dublin. He said he is open to meeting Trump if meaningful progress emerges. The most sensitive issues, he noted, are territories and frozen assets, but provided no details.

“We share the view that the war must be brought to a fair end,” Zelenskyy wrote earlier on X after talks in Paris.

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