US Special Envoy Optimistic as Ukraine Peace Talks Near Resolution

ISTANBUL, Jan 22: US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday that negotiations over a settlement in Ukraine are “at the end,” expressing optimism about a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict.

Speaking at a Ukrainian event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Witkoff noted that significant progress has been made since talks in Geneva last November. “I think we’ve got it down to one issue, and we have discussed iterations of that issue, and that means it’s solvable,” he said. “So if both sides want to solve this, we’re going to get it solved.”

Witkoff highlighted his productive discussions with Ukraine’s delegation, praising the negotiating team for their dedication. He said he and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner would travel to Moscow later Thursday evening for meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin before heading to Abu Dhabi for further working group discussions.

The envoy emphasized that the Kremlin had requested the Moscow talks and expressed hope for a positive announcement soon. Both Witkoff and Kushner have met repeatedly with Putin and Ukrainian representatives to work toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war, which is set to enter its fifth year next month.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin’s meeting with the US envoys will occur after 7-8 pm local time, with briefings to follow from presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. Peskov declined to comment on the current stage of negotiations, citing the upcoming meetings.

The latest developments suggest momentum is building toward a potential breakthrough, though key details of the settlement remain under discussion.