US Envoy: Territorial Concessions Central to Ukraine Peace Talks

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff emphasized that the key hurdle in peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine is the status of Crimea and four regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—occupied by Russia. He described these territorial issues as 'the elephant in the room,' noting that while the Kremlin staged referendums indicating local support for Russian rule, these were widely condemned as illegitimate by Ukraine and its allies. Witkoff acknowledged that Moscow exercises full control over these regions and questioned whether the international community would recognize them as Russian territories. As peace talks are set to resume in Saudi Arabia, he highlighted the constitutional limitations within Ukraine that complicate any potential territorial concessions by President Zelensky. Witkoff also praised Russian President Putin, referring to him as 'smart' and 'gracious,' and mentioned a personal gesture from Putin involving a portrait of Donald Trump. Despite these developments, Zelensky has reiterated Ukraine's position against recognizing the occupied territories as Russian.