The diplomatic effort to conclude the conflict in Ukraine might be facing a "decisive week," the EU's foreign policy chief has remarked, as a delegate for ex-leader Donald Trump prepares to hold talks with Vladimir Putin following weekend talks with Ukrainian leaders.
Envoy Amid Questionable Links to Moscow Scheduled for Meeting
Steve Witkoff, the property developer now serving as peace envoy, is scheduled to hold talks with Putin in Moscow on Tuesday, as announced by. Witkoff was in recent reports exposed for coaching Russian officials on ways to gain Trump's support.
"We are entering a decisive week for diplomacy," stated the EU's lead official, while emphasizing it was "clear that Russia is not seeking peace."
Zelenskyy's Diplomatic Tour for Support
Meanwhile, Leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy embarked on a diplomatic push to mobilize support from Ukraine's European partners. He held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday to discuss "the terms of a equitable and sustainable peace," as stated by.
The Ukrainian leader is additionally expected to make his inaugural state visit to Ireland on Tuesday. At the same time, his defence minister, Denys Shmyhal, was in Brussels on Monday for meetings with his EU counterparts.
Frustration over US-Led Talks
The EU diplomat shared concern that Europeans were not represented in weekend negotiations held in Florida between the US and Ukraine, which she characterized as "tough but constructive." When asked about trusting the US to find a positive solution for Ukraine, she noted, "Ukraine's representatives are there by themselves. If they would be together with the Europeans, they would certainly be far more powerful."
Writing on the platform X, Zelenskyy noted the US talks had been "very constructive" but that there were "several difficult issues that must still be resolved."
Worry over American Peace Plan
European leaders were previously alarmed by a US framework that emerged last month, which was seen as skewed in Russia's favor. Its alleged terms included ceding Moscow territories in eastern Ukraine it did not yet control, requiring Kyiv to limit the size of its army, and abandoning its ambition to join NATO. While that original plan has reportedly been scaled back, Witkoff's forthcoming visit to Moscow—his sixth face-to-face meeting with Putin—is likely to heighten concern in Kyiv and throughout European governments.
Witkoff is due to fly to Russia on Monday, with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to advance peace talks. Kushner recently played an prominent role in talks over a Gaza peace deal. The Kremlin has not confirmed whether Kushner would also be present at the talks with Putin.
Florida Talks and Domestic Strain
The two close Trump envoys participated in the Florida talks between senior Ukrainian and US delegates, which were held at a exclusive golf club built by Witkoff's company.
After the session, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced optimism for an end to the war. "More work to be done. This is complex," Rubio stated. "There are a lot of elements, and obviously there's another side involved here... that will have to be a part of the equation."
Adding to the diplomatic pressure, President Zelenskyy is facing domestic pressure following the unexpected resignation of his head of cabinet and closest adviser, Andriy Yermak. The resignation came in the wake of a expanding corruption investigation that has become the biggest crisis of Zelenskyy's presidency.
