In a development that could dramatically alter the trajectory of the war in Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, the special envoy appointed by US President Donald Trump, arrived in Moscow on April 25 to hold high-stakes talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This marks Witkoff’s fourth visit to Russia in recent months and underscores the Trump administration’s determination to broker a peace agreement one that is increasingly drawing criticism from Ukraine and its Western allies.

The visit comes amid reports that Washington is exerting heavy pressure on Kiev to accept what it calls a “final offer” for peace. The proposed framework, though not officially published, is said to involve a US-backed recognition of Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, the so-called “freezing” of the front lines in eastern Ukraine, and an acknowledgment of Moscow’s control over substantial portions of four former Ukrainian regions that Russia annexed following controversial referendums.

Additionally, the plan would halt Ukraine’s ambitions to join NATO-an issue at the heart of Russia’s security concerns-and trigger a phased rollback of sanctions that have been imposed on Moscow since 2014.

Russian officials have welcomed Trump’s initiative. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking to CBS News on April 24, said that Moscow and Washington were “moving in the right direction” and emphasized Russia’s openness to continuing dialogue. Lavrov praised Witkoff’s diplomatic efforts and stated that a final agreement must reflect “territorial realities”........

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