Ukraine Peace Talks Near Final Stage as US Envoy Signals Breakthrough

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has said negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine are nearing their final stage, expressing optimism that a settlement could soon be reached. Speaking on Thursday at a Ukrainian-focused event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Witkoff said significant progress had been made in recent weeks.

“We are at the end now, and I actually am optimistic,” Witkoff told attendees, adding that talks between Russia and Ukraine had advanced considerably. He revealed that discussions had narrowed to a single remaining issue, which he described as solvable if both sides remain committed to reaching an agreement.

Witkoff said he met with Ukraine’s delegation on Wednesday evening and praised Kyiv’s negotiating team, noting that they had spent extensive time together since earlier talks held in Geneva in November last year. According to him, the fact that multiple versions of the final issue have already been discussed is a strong sign that a resolution is within reach.

The US envoy also confirmed that he and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, would travel to Moscow on Thursday evening for high-level talks. They are scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin before heading to Abu Dhabi for further working group meetings, without staying overnight in the Russian capital.

Earlier this week, Witkoff told CNBC that there had been “lots of progress” over the past six to eight weeks, adding that the Kremlin had requested the Moscow talks. He said he hoped there would be “something good to announce soon.”

The Russia-Ukraine war is set to enter its fifth year next month, and both Witkoff and Kushner have held multiple meetings with Russian and Ukrainian officials as part of efforts to bring the conflict to an end.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that President Putin’s meeting with the US envoys would take place later on Thursday evening. He said a briefing on the outcome would follow but declined to comment on the current state of negotiations ahead of the talks.