Kushner and Witkoff to discuss ‘new’ peace plan with Ukrainian delegation, sources say

What is the new, unified peace proposal that U.S. officials say will be discussed with Ukraine?

The new, unified peace proposal is a broad U.S. plan for ending the war. Officials have not publicly released its specific terms. Instead, a senior administration official said it will address “all aspects of the conflict.” That breadth matters because earlier efforts have not overcome the central dispute over territory and security.

The plan will be discussed during two days of talks in the United States. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will lead the American side. Ukraine will send senior officials, including Rustem Umerov and Kyrylo Budanov. The proposal is meant to give negotiators one framework rather than separate, limited ideas.

The talks begin Friday amid intensifying aerial attacks and a continuing stalemate. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said American engagement has increased, but he did not describe new terms. No major breakthrough was announced after earlier U.S. meetings in Moscow and Kyiv, so the proposal’s effect remains uncertain.

Who are Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and the Ukrainian officials taking part in these negotiations?

Steve Witkoff is the U.S. president’s Special Envoy involved in diplomatic efforts to end the war. Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, is also leading the American side. Their role is to negotiate with Ukrainian officials around a new proposal covering the conflict’s major issues.

Ukraine’s delegation includes Rustem Umerov, identified in the article as the head of the country’s Foreign Intelligence Service. It also includes Kyrylo Budanov, identified as the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Their senior positions give the delegation experience in national security and presidential decision-making.

The talks begin Friday and will last two days. They follow recent U.S. efforts in Moscow and Kyiv, where Witkoff and Kushner held meetings without announcing a major breakthrough. Zelenskyy said he had spoken with the American side three times in recent days and hoped for a good result.

How much of Ukraine’s territory does Russia currently occupy, and why is the Donbas region especially important?

Russia currently occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. The Donbas is especially important because it is an industrial region in Ukraine’s east and remains divided between Russian control and Ukrainian-held areas. The dispute over this territory has become the main obstacle to a settlement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he wants to seize the entire Donbas. Ukrainian forces still hold parts of the region. Zelenskyy has ruled out giving it up, arguing that Russia could use the territory as a base for another attack. That makes the region both a territorial demand and a security concern.

The disagreement has kept negotiations locked in a stalemate despite repeated meetings. The U.S. is now promoting a comprehensive proposal, but the article gives no indication that either side has changed its position. Until the Donbas dispute is addressed, a ceasefire or final settlement remains difficult.

What are the main demands and red lines that have kept Russia and Ukraine from reaching a settlement?

The main dispute is territorial control. Putin wants Russia to seize the entire Donbas, including areas still held by Ukrainian forces. Zelenskyy has ruled out ceding that territory. Ukraine argues that surrendering the region could give Russia a platform for another attack, making the issue a question of national security as well as borders.

Putin also explained the invasion by saying Russia wanted to demilitarize Ukraine and overthrow what he called Kyiv’s government driven by “Nazi ideology.” The article describes that claim as a common Kremlin propaganda line. The initial effort to topple Zelenskyy failed, but the demands connected to Ukraine’s military and government remain part of the wider conflict.

The United States has previously repeated some of Putin’s hardline demands and pressed Kyiv for concessions. Yet Secretary Marco Rubio said the war needs a negotiated settlement, while acknowledging that prospects currently appear poor. These opposing positions have produced the continuing impasse.

What happens if the current stalemate continues without a ceasefire or negotiated agreement?

If the stalemate continues, the conflict could move toward escalation instead of a settlement. Secretary Marco Rubio said stalemates are “very dangerous” because they eventually end in either a negotiated agreement or worsening conflict. His warning shows why the lack of progress matters beyond the battlefield.

Rubio said escalation in Ukraine could become a sabotage campaign in neighboring countries that belong to NATO. At the same time, the article reports intensifying deadly aerial attacks on both sides of the border. These attacks suggest that the conflict remains active even while diplomats try to negotiate.

European leaders are increasingly worried that Russia could expand the war onto the continent. Rubio said there is no military solution and that the war should end through negotiation, but he also said there currently appear to be no prospects for a settlement. Without a ceasefire or agreement, pressure for talks will coexist with greater danger of expansion.

How did Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine begin in 2022, and why did Russia’s initial plan to quickly replace the Ukrainian government fail?

Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Putin said Russia was trying to demilitarize Ukraine and overthrow Kyiv’s government, which he described as driven by “Nazi ideology.” The article identifies that explanation as a common Kremlin propaganda line rather than an accepted account of events.

Russia initially expected a swift military operation to topple President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and replace him with a pro-Kremlin government. That plan quickly foundered. Instead of achieving the intended political change, Russia was left fighting a prolonged war while continuing to seek territorial gains.

The article says capturing the Donbas became Putin’s only option for claiming a significant victory in Ukraine. Russia now occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine, but Ukrainian forces still hold parts of the eastern region. That failed opening plan explains why the Donbas remains central to both Russia’s demands and the peace negotiations.

Why do control of territory, national sovereignty, and alliances such as NATO make wars like this difficult to end through negotiation?

Territory is difficult to trade because it is tied to sovereignty, meaning Ukraine’s authority over its own land and political future. Ukraine’s refusal to cede Donbas reflects more than attachment to borders. Zelenskyy argues that Russia could use the region as a base for another attack, so a territorial concession could create a lasting security threat.

Russia’s position also links territory with military and political goals. Putin wants the entire Donbas, while his stated invasion aims included demilitarizing Ukraine and changing its government. Control of land could therefore affect Ukraine’s defenses and Russia’s ability to claim a victory. These stakes make compromise harder than simply drawing a new boundary.

NATO adds a wider alliance dimension. Rubio warned that continued stalemate could produce sabotage in neighboring NATO countries. European leaders fear the conflict could expand across the continent. The article therefore presents negotiation as urgent: there is no military solution, but failed diplomacy could carry broader regional consequences.

Key Facts:

📌 The proposal’s specific terms have not been publicly disclosed.

📌 U.S. officials call it a unified plan covering all aspects of the conflict.

📌 The proposal will be discussed during two days of negotiations.

📌 Steve Witkoff is the U.S. Special Envoy leading the talks.

📌 Jared Kushner is President Trump’s son-in-law and a U.S. negotiator.

📌 Rustem Umerov and Kyrylo Budanov represent Ukraine.

📌 Russia currently occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory.