Trump Directs Fresh Diplomatic Efforts While Defining Personal Involvement Criteria

President Trump directed fresh diplomatic efforts in Ukraine peace negotiations while simultaneously defining clear criteria for his personal involvement in the process. Trump declared he would engage Russian and Ukrainian leaders through direct summit meetings only when negotiations demonstrate substantial proximity to final agreement.
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff received specific instructions to conduct talks with President Putin in the Russian capital, while Army Secretary Dan Driscoll was directed to shift his focus to comprehensive engagement with Ukrainian government officials. The parallel missions aim to resolve remaining contentious points.
Trump’s social media statements emphasized what he described as remarkable progress on refining proposals initially drafted by American negotiators. The president claimed that only a few remaining points of disagreement separate the conflicting parties from potential agreement, though these involve critically sensitive issues.
The original 28-point American proposal drew sharp criticism from Ukrainian officials and European allied leaders who raised strong objections to specific provisions. Multiple rounds of subsequent negotiations have produced substantial revisions that administration officials characterize as addressing serious objections raised.
Ukrainian President Zelensky responded to negotiating developments with cautious public statements, expressing appreciation for American diplomatic efforts while explicitly avoiding confirmation of specific agreements. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov indicated that Moscow expects to receive a comprehensive formal proposal.