U.S. Witkoff Says Ukraine Peace Talks in Final Stage

(MENAFN) Negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine have reached their concluding phase, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced Thursday, expressing confidence that a breakthrough is within reach as American diplomats prepare for urgent consultations in Moscow and Abu Dhabi.

"We are at the end now, and I actually am optimistic," Witkoff declared at a Ukrainian event held alongside the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss Alpine resort.

The envoy revealed that disagreements have narrowed dramatically, suggesting resolution is imminent if both parties demonstrate genuine commitment. "I think we've got it down to one issue, and we have discussed iterations of that issue, and that means it's solvable. So if both sides want to solve this, we're going to get it solved," Witkoff further said.

Witkoff disclosed that he and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will depart for the Russian capital Moscow Thursday evening before immediately continuing to Abu Dhabi without an overnight stay, where working group sessions are scheduled to take place.

The diplomatic sprint represents the most substantial indication yet that the conflict—which has devastated Ukraine since Russia's February 2022 invasion—may be approaching a negotiated resolution under the Trump administration's intensified mediation efforts.

Neither Washington nor Moscow has publicly specified the remaining obstacle preventing agreement, though the accelerated travel schedule underscores the urgency American negotiators are placing on securing a settlement framework.

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