Steve Witkoff, a special envoy who has met several times with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, recently told Fox News that a proposed Russian peace deal depends on the status of “five territories of Ukraine.”
Although he did not name the regions explicitly, the areas in question are likely Crimea — which Russia illegally annexed in 2014 — along with Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Russia held internationally unrecognized referendums in these territories before claiming their annexation, though it still does not exercise full control over all of them.
In response to Witkoff’s remarks, Ukraine’s foreign ministry reaffirmed that it will never accept the loss of these regions. The ministry reiterated Kyiv’s position that its territorial integrity and borders, as recognized by the international community, must be upheld.
Territorial issues remain a significant hurdle in reaching any potential ceasefire. Nevertheless, French President Emmanuel Macron’s office described recent diplomatic efforts as the beginning of a “positive process” with active European involvement.
“Our goal is to achieve peace as swiftly as possible — a durable and fair peace that upholds Ukraine’s fundamental rights,” an Elysée spokesperson stated.
European nations have faced difficulty securing a central role in these negotiations and have cautioned the U.S. against finalizing any truce without clear security guarantees for Ukraine. They also stress the need for mechanisms to enforce and monitor any future ceasefire agreement.
In parallel, France and the U.K. are leading a “coalition of the willing” — a group of more than 30 allied nations committed to supporting Ukraine. This initiative could include the deployment of a reassurance force on the ground should a ceasefire be reached.
President Macron also had a series of discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier in the day. Further high-level meetings involving officials from France, Germany, the U.K., Ukraine, and the United States are set to take place in London next week.
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