The Trump administration’s latest diplomatic initiative to end the Ukraine war concluded without success Tuesday as Russian and American negotiators failed to bridge fundamental differences. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov acknowledged that five hours of discussions with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner left the conflict resolution effort “neither further nor closer” to completion, despite characterizing the exchange as constructive and informed.
Russian President Putin used the diplomatic occasion to issue threatening statements toward Europe, claiming European nations were sabotaging peace efforts and blocking American attempts to resolve the crisis. The Russian leader asserted that while Russia did not seek conflict with Europe, Moscow stood prepared for immediate war if European powers initiated hostilities. Putin’s combative rhetoric appeared designed to exploit potential divisions between the Trump administration and its European allies regarding peace terms.
The negotiations centered on an updated American peace proposal that had undergone revisions to address concerns from both Russian officials and Ukrainian leadership. However, Ushakov revealed that the discussion focused on essential concepts rather than specific provisions, with Putin expressing mixed reactions ranging from agreement on some points to outright rejection of others. The Kremlin aide declined to disclose certain negotiation details and indicated that another Trump-Putin summit was not imminent.
Zelenskyy remained engaged in parallel diplomatic efforts, stating his readiness to receive updates from the US delegation and willingness to meet with Trump directly. The Ukrainian president has been actively consulting European capitals to build support for peace plan modifications, particularly regarding the original 28-point proposal that included provisions he found unacceptable. Zelenskyy has consistently opposed requirements to surrender currently controlled territory and accept military limitations without receiving concrete Western security guarantees.
The diplomatic stalemate persists against a backdrop of continued battlefield fighting, with Russia maintaining offensive pressure and Putin claiming recent territorial gains. The Russian leader has threatened intensified strikes on Ukrainian ports following attacks on Russian vessels, while emphasizing that his military forces remain on the offensive. Trump acknowledged the situation represented a “mess” without easy solutions, while skepticism grows about whether Russia genuinely seeks compromise or simply awaits further deterioration in Western unity.