Trumps Envoy to Push for Ukraines Military Rights in Talks with Russia – Bloomberg

The United States is poised to insist that Russia acknowledge Ukraine’s right to uphold its military and defense sector as part of any prospective peace agreement, according to a report by Bloomberg on Thursday that cites sources familiar with the ongoing discussions.

Steve Witkoff, the special envoy for U.S. President Donald Trump, is anticipated to bring this matter up during his forthcoming dialogue with President Vladimir Putin, Bloomberg revealed.

For Russia, acquiescing to this request would entail renouncing its declared objective of demilitarizing Ukraine.

This reported stipulation indicates that Washington intends to seek concessions from Russia as it aims to bring the conflict to a close.

Critics have pointed out that Trump and his negotiating team have thus far favored Russian interests, including proposals to acknowledge Crimea as part of Russia and to exclude Ukraine from NATO, while demanding few concessions from Moscow in return.

Additionally, the U.S. seeks the return of control over Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which was taken by Russia in 2022, asserting that the plant would be managed by the U.S. to supply energy to both parties.

Other U.S. requirements include restoring Ukrainian access to the Dnipro River and the reclamation of territories in the Kharkiv region currently occupied by Russian forces, according to Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, Putin persists in advocating for recognition of Russian sovereignty over Ukraine’s Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, which he only partially controls.

After a series of Russian airstrikes targeting Kyiv early Thursday that resulted in at least 12 fatalities and numerous injuries, Trump urged Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine, marking the most lethal assault on the Ukrainian capital in nearly a year.

«I am not pleased with the Russian attacks on KYIV. They’re unnecessary and poorly timed,» Trump expressed on social media. «Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers are dying every week. Let’s finalize this Peace Deal!»

These strikes further complicated already tense U.S. efforts to facilitate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, occurring just hours after Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his refusal to acknowledge Russia’s occupation of Crimea as a prerequisite for peace.

In recent days, Trump and other U.S. officials have cautioned that Washington might abandon its peace negotiations if an agreement isn’t reached promptly.