Washington has initiated a renewed diplomatic effort to break the deadlock in the Ukraine conflict, preparing a 28-point peace framework after weeks of quiet consultations with key stakeholders, including Russia and Ukraine. A senior White House official said the administration believes “there is a chance to end this senseless war if flexibility is shown,” underscoring the government’s intent to restart formal talks.
According to US media reports, the plan has been shaped under the guidance of US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, who draws parallels from President Donald Trump’s approach to the Gaza negotiations. The framework is divided into four segments, covering peace measures in Ukraine, long-term security guarantees, European security concerns, and the future course of US relations with both Russia and Ukraine.
However, details on how the proposal addresses the most sensitive issues, particularly territorial control in eastern Ukraine, remain unclear. Officials familiar with the discussions said reactions from Kyiv and European partners are still awaited.
In late October, Witkoff and members of Trump’s team held extensive discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, in Miami. Dmitriev later expressed confidence about the direction of the talks, saying that Russia felt its position was “really being heard” in the ongoing exchanges.
This week, Witkoff also met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s national security adviser, Rustem Umerov, in Miami, a development confirmed by Ukrainian officials.
Peace negotiations have remained stalled since Trump and Putin met in Alaska in August. Last month, Russia rejected a proposal seeking an immediate freeze in hostilities, following which the US cancelled a planned summit in Hungary and imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies.