Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed optimism following a discussion with US envoys regarding efforts to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Speaking on Thursday, Zelensky said his nearly one-hour call with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner produced “new ideas regarding formats, meetings, and timing to bring genuine peace closer.”
The conversation came a day after Zelensky shared details of an updated 20-point peace plan, developed with US and Ukrainian envoys in Florida. He also asked the envoys to relay Christmas greetings to US President Donald Trump and his family.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, stated that it is reviewing proposals brought back from the US by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Trump and his representatives have been engaged in talks with both Kyiv and Moscow in a bid to broker a settlement following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Zelensky praised the “good ideas” offered by Witkoff and Kushner, signaling some recent diplomatic progress.
Describing the day as “active” for Ukraine’s diplomacy, Zelensky acknowledged that sensitive issues remain but emphasized that “together with the American team, we understand how to move forward.” He added that Ukraine’s top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, and the country’s senior security officials will continue discussions with US representatives.
The updated 20-point peace plan is seen as a revision of an earlier draft by Witkoff, which critics said largely reflected Russia’s pre-invasion demands and could have forced Ukraine into de facto surrender.
According to Zelensky, the revised plan would allow for a potential withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from parts of eastern Ukraine, replacing them with a demilitarized zone. The plan also includes security guarantees from the US, NATO, and European allies, ensuring coordinated military support should Russia violate the agreement.
Regarding the industrial Donetsk region, Zelensky suggested a “free economic zone” as a possible arrangement, stressing that any areas vacated by Ukrainian troops would still be policed by Ukraine. Moscow currently controls roughly 75% of Donetsk and nearly all of the neighboring Luhansk region, collectively known as Donbas.
Trump has reportedly pressured Zelensky to cede all of Donbas to Russia, a move the Ukrainian president has resisted, insisting instead on solid security guarantees. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine must withdraw from Donbas, or Russia will seize the territory.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Moscow is reviewing the US proposals and will continue communication with Washington depending on decisions from President Putin.
While diplomatic efforts continue, fighting persists on the ground. Ukrainian forces reported striking a key Russian oil refinery in the southern Rostov region with cruise missiles. The Novoshakhtinsk refinery supplies fuel for Russian operations in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian Defence Ministry announced that its forces captured the settlement of Sviato-Pokrovske in Donetsk. Earlier, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the eastern town of Siversk. These advances bring Russian forces closer to the last Ukrainian-held cities in Donetsk, including Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
