U.S. Special Envoy Lays Out Key Issues for Potential Ukraine-Russia Negotiations

The U.S. Special Envoy Steve Vitkoff outlined the major issues that would dominate any direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Should the two sides agree to engage in talks, these discussions would focus primarily on three unresolved challenges in the ongoing conflict: Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territories, the status of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine’s access to vital waterways.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to Breitbart News.

Vitkoff identified the core issues as the Russian-controlled territories, the nuclear plant, and Ukraine's ability to utilize the Dnipro River to access the sea. “The fundamental questions lie in the regions, the nuclear plant, and how Ukraine can fully use the Dnipro River and access the sea,” Vitkoff stated. “I believe these matters can be resolved if both sides are willing to come to the table, engage in genuine dialogue, narrow down their differences, and find creative compromises.”

He also acknowledged the role the U.S. has played in narrowing the focus of these negotiations, but noted that the primary obstacle remains the situation in five key regions. “The biggest hurdle is the five regions, with Russia having full control over two of them, while Ukraine controls parts of the other three. It’s about determining how we assess this, because there’s a difference between frontlines where troops are stationed and administrative boundaries,” Vitkoff explained.

Notably, on April 17, in Paris, Vitkoff presented to European officials a proposal for ending the Russian-Ukrainian war, which includes U.S. recognition of Russia’s control over several occupied Ukrainian territories. This proposal would see the U.S. legally acknowledging Russia’s control of Crimea and de facto control over parts of the Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson regions. In return, Ukraine would regain control over the Kharkiv region, Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and secure unfettered access to the Dnipro River, along with control of the Kinburn Spit.

While these high-level issues persist, Vitkoff noted that informal discussions between the two sides are already underway, and the U.S. is pushing for a swift formal meeting between Ukrainian and Russian representatives.

As The Gaze reported earlier, European foreign ministers issued a united call for peace in Ukraine on Monday, urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage seriously in negotiations.