By Chinonyerem Emmanuel
The United States’ special envoy for Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, said on Thursday that peace negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine have made significant headway and are now focused on resolving a single remaining issue, raising cautious optimism that a deal could eventually be reached.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Witkoff told an audience that months of intensive diplomacy have produced meaningful progress.
According to him, discussions involving Washington, Moscow, Kyiv and European leaders have gradually narrowed the scope of disagreement, even though a final agreement has yet to be secured.
“A lot of progress has been made,” Witkoff said, adding that negotiations were now “down to one issue.”
He emphasized that the outcome ultimately depends on the willingness of both sides to compromise. “If both sides want to solve this, we’re going to get it solved,” he told participants at the forum.
The United States has been holding parallel discussions with Russia and with Ukraine and its European partners, reviewing and revising multiple draft proposals intended to bring an end to the conflict.
Despite repeated pledges by U.S. President Donald Trump to broker a peace deal, talks have so far fallen short of a breakthrough, underscoring the complexity of the war and the deep divisions between the parties.
Trump, speaking at Davos a day earlier, struck a blunt tone, warning that the leaders of Russia and Ukraine would be “stupid” not to come together and finalize an agreement, a comment that reflected his frustration with the pace of negotiations.
Witkoff also revealed that he was preparing to travel to Moscow later in the day, signaling a renewed diplomatic push at a critical moment.
He made his remarks during an impromptu appearance at a breakfast meeting on the future of Ukraine, which featured senior figures including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Rutte used the occasion to reaffirm confidence in Trump’s commitment to Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty, pushing back against doubts expressed by some European leaders.
“I have never doubted this,” Rutte said, while urging allies to remain focused. “What we need is to keep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine. Let’s not drop that ball.”
The comments come as Ukraine’s future remains a central issue at Davos, where global leaders are weighing security risks, economic consequences and the broader geopolitical fallout of the war.
While Witkoff’s remarks suggest negotiations may be closer to a turning point than before, diplomats caution that even a single unresolved issue can derail fragile peace efforts, leaving the final outcome uncertain.
Source Reuters
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