The weight of a potential peace rested on a series of meetings, hushed conversations held with the man at the center of the conflict: Vladimir Putin. Aaron Witkoff, the US special envoy, engaged in at least six face-to-face encounters with the Russian president throughout 2025, each a delicate dance toward a possible resolution.
These weren’t brief exchanges; the most recent session alone stretched for five grueling hours, a testament to the complexity of the issues at hand. Witkoff carried with him a 20-point peace plan from Washington, a framework intended to bridge the seemingly insurmountable gap between the two nations.
A subtle shift in tone emerged from the negotiations, a hint of progress buried within the diplomatic language. Witkoff suggested the discussions were nearing a critical phase, moving beyond broad principles to the concrete details of territorial agreements – “land deals,” as he succinctly put it.
Yet, despite the apparent narrowing of focus, a complete breakthrough remained elusive. Yury Ushakov, an aide to President Putin, acknowledged the talks, but tempered expectations with a stark reality: no definitive compromises had been reached.
Russia wasn’t rejecting the American proposals outright, Ushakov clarified. Some elements were deemed acceptable, offering a glimmer of hope. However, significant disagreements persisted, indicating the path to peace would be long and arduous, paved with difficult concessions on both sides.
