Ukraine peace negotiations are left with only "one final issue".
On January 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to hold an important meeting with envoys of US President Donald Trump in Moscow. This move comes shortly after Trump declared that an agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine was "relatively close," and the US side confirmed that negotiations were only stalled on "one final issue."
According to Reuters, Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss the peace plan with two key figures on the US side: Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law.
Speaking at a meeting of the Russian Security Council late on January 21, Putin confirmed that the meeting was aimed at "continuing dialogue on a solution to the Ukraine problem."
In addition, issues such as Trump's idea of establishing a "Peace Council" and the issue of frozen Russian assets will also be on the negotiating table.
Before flying to Moscow, Steve Witkoff shared optimistic remarks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. "I think we've made a lot of progress," Witkoff stated, revealing that negotiations are now focused on "one final issue." However, he did not specify what that issue was.
US President Donald Trump also expressed confidence in the possibility of reaching an agreement. "I think you could say we're very close," Trump said, while emphasizing that both sides need to stop and come to an agreement. He also warned that failing to reach an agreement now would be "unwise" for both sides.
The U.S. has held separate discussions with Russia, Ukraine, and European leaders on various peace proposals. However, a formal agreement has yet to be signed despite repeated commitments from Washington.
The Russian side argues that European leaders are trying to obstruct negotiations by imposing conditions they know Moscow will not accept. Putin has repeatedly affirmed that Russia is open to negotiations but views this conflict as a turning point in relations with the West.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and other European countries maintain a firm stance that Russia cannot be allowed to achieve its military objectives, fearing that this would threaten the future security of NATO – an accusation that Moscow has consistently denied.
In Davos, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed confidence in President Trump's commitment to Ukraine. "I have never doubted this. What we need to do is focus on the Ukraine objective," Rutte emphasized.
