Moscow Talks Focus on NATO, Ukraine Peace Plan During Putin–Trump Envoys Meeting

During high-level talks in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U. S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, including the sensitive question of Ukraine's potential membership in NATO. The discussions, described as a nearly five-hour session, focused on a U. S.-proposed peace plan aimed at resolving the crisis.

Key Topics: NATO and Peace Negotiations

Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov confirmed that the issue of NATO membership was among the "key questions” addressed, though he declined to provide detailed information. The talks revolved around the peace plan drafted by the United States in November, originally consisting of 28 points, including a legislative commitment for Ukraine to refrain from joining NATO. Following preliminary negotiations in Geneva, the plan was shortened to 22 points, with officials withholding specifics of its content.

"This was a very constructive conversation. Of course, it began with Trump's representatives sending greetings and best wishes from their president to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin,"

said Yury Ushakov, noting the cordial tone at the outset of the meeting.

On the Russian side, discussions included Kirill Dmitriev, special representative for investment and economic cooperation, alongside Ushakov.

U.S. Perspective on Territorial Disputes

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted the ongoing dispute over the 20 percent of the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) still under Kyiv's control as a central sticking point in the peace plan. He explained that U.S. negotiators sought to understand which compromises Ukraine could accept while ensuring future security guarantees.

"What they are literally debating now is the space of approximately 30-50 kilometers and 20 percent of the Donetsk region. We tried to determine what Ukrainians could live with, what would give them security guarantees for the future," Rubio told Fox News.

Washington's Role as Mediator

According to Rubio, while progress has been made, the U.S. does not have the authority to resolve the conflict on its own. The decision ultimately rests with Russia and Ukraine .

"In the end, the decision is theirs. If they choose not to end the war, it will continue. But we will attempt to bring it to a close," said Rubio, emphasizing that Washington is acting as a mediator to bridge differences between both sides.

Rubio further underscored that dialogue must involve both Moscow and Kyiv, cautioning against the notion that discussions could succeed by addressing only one party. He also noted that the U.S. views the recent negotiations as bringing Russia and Ukraine closer to an agreement than at any point in the past three years, though he warned that reaching a final settlement remains challenging. Washington continues to assess whether it should maintain its mediator role or shift focus to other strategic priorities.