Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff Meet Putin in Moscow to Push U.S. Peace Plan to End Ukraine War

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, accompanied by Jared Kushner, traveled to Moscow on Dec. 2 to meet President Vladimir Putin in a concentrated U.S. effort to advance a revised peace plan to end the Russia–Ukraine war.

“Russia reported that Ukraine lost about 1,415 troops in the past 24 hours, while Ukraine said it had killed 1,060 Russian personnel and destroyed one tank, six armoured vehicles, 14 artillery systems, 239 drones and 71 vehicles in the same period”

Al Jazeera

Multiple news outlets described the visit as high-stakes and noted it came after two days of talks in Florida aimed at refining a controversial U.S. proposal.

Al Jazeera

France 24 reported officials were in Moscow for 'high-stakes talks with President Vladimir Putin,' NBC News said Witkoff was meeting Putin to present a revised peace plan, and The Kyiv Independent noted he arrived on Dec. 2 to hold talks at 5 p.m. local time.

Al Jazeera called the trip an intensified U.S. diplomatic push, and Time said the meeting followed weekend Florida talks in which Kushner and Witkoff joined U.S. delegations.

The content and origins of the U.S.-backed proposal are central to reporting.

Several outlets recall a leaked 28-point draft that critics say favours Moscow by limiting Ukraine's military options, capping forces, and barring NATO membership.

Baltic News Network

The BBC sums up wider concern that the U.S.-circulated draft peace plan was judged by Kyiv and EU capitals to be heavily tilted toward Moscow.

Time describes the leaked 28-point proposal and its calls for Ukraine to shrink its military and cede territory.

NBC News notes the earlier plan drew sharp criticism for being heavily pro-Russia and would have required Ukraine to cede territory, limit its military, and bar NATO membership.

Other outlets report that Kyiv and European partners sought and won revisions in Florida.

The Globe and Mail and Devdiscourse say U.S. and Ukrainian teams made 'realistic' but unfinished progress.

On the battlefield, reporting shows competing claims about recent Russian gains and the strategic importance of contested towns.

“A US-Russia draft peace plan circulated in November alarmed Kyiv and European capitals because it was seen as heavily slanted toward Moscow — including provisions on how several billion euros of frozen Russian assets held in Europe should be invested and on Ukrainian market access in Europe”

BBC

Several outlets repeat Moscow's claims that it "liberated" or "seized" places such as Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, while noting Kyiv rejects or has not confirmed those assertions.

Sky News describes heavy combat around Pokrovsk and that Moscow "says it has captured the city," and France 24 says "Russia claims to have seized the strategic eastern city of Pokrovsk - a claim Ukraine rejects."

BBC reports Russia's claims "were not independently confirmed," and Devdiscourse and Dimsum Daily likewise state that those Kremlin claims "have not been confirmed by Ukrainian officials or independent open-source monitors."

The meeting’s diplomatic implications are reported with different emphases: some outlets stress Western and European unease at a U.S.-driven process, others highlight Kremlin ambivalence, and several note that Washington’s envoys include political figures tied to the Trump era.

The Globe and Mail and The Globe’s summary say European allies rallied behind Zelensky amid concerns the U.S. plan 'favors Russia.'

BBC

Baltimore News Network and Baltic News Network report Kyiv and European partners insist on preserving sovereignty and securing strong guarantees.

Kremlin sources quoted in France 24 and Kursiv Media say Putin could view a draft as a 'basis' for future talks but with reservations.

France 24 reports the Kremlin is open to peace talks while stressing that wartime objectives must still be achieved.

NBC quotes the Kremlin calling the talks 'a very important step,' and other outlets note follow-up meetings and involvement by figures such as Marco Rubio, Rustem Umerov, and Jared Kushner.