By Staff, Agencies

US special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff announced that Washington is aiming to see the Ukraine conflict resolved by the end of 2025, citing Moscow’s “peace proposal on the table” and continued contacts with both Russian and Ukrainian representatives.

During a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Witkoff said he would be holding “meetings all this week” on Ukraine and other global issues, stressing that the administration hopes to “settle them before the end of this year”.

In an interview with Fox News, Witkoff acknowledged Trump’s frustration with both Moscow and Kiev but emphasized that Russia has at least advanced a concrete peace offer.

He admitted that territorial concessions “may not be something that the Ukrainians can take,” yet argued that the Trump administration has brought the two sides “closer to agreement than ever before”.

“There’s a peace proposal on the table,” Witkoff reiterated. “We believe the end is in sight... technical teams are working on it, and we’re hopeful that by year’s end—or sooner—we can find the elements of a peace deal”.

Witkoff said Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed his determination to end the conflict during his historic Alaska summit with Trump earlier this month.

While no details of any framework were disclosed, Moscow has consistently insisted that a lasting settlement would require Kiev to renounce NATO membership, undergo demilitarization and denazification and accept new territorial realities.

These include recognizing Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye as part of Russia following referendums in 2014 and 2022.

The envoy stressed that decisions over territorial concessions ultimately lie with Ukraine but indicated that the issue would likely be linked to long-term security guarantees. He also confirmed plans to meet Ukrainian officials in New York this week and said Washington is in daily communication with Moscow. Reports suggest current talks may involve Kiev ceding its last footholds in Donbass in exchange for as-yet undefined Western guarantees.

Witkoff further noted that a direct meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky “may end up happening”, with Trump potentially required “at the table to finish a deal”.

Putin has not excluded the possibility of meeting Zelensky but insisted that such talks must be preceded by tangible progress in negotiations. Moscow has also questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy, pointing to his expired presidential mandate and warning that any agreement he signs could be overturned by a successor.