Steve Witkoff is slated to visit Moscow next week, joining other senior U.S. officials for discussions with Russian leadership. The trip comes amid heightened scrutiny over recent diplomatic developments involving Ukraine.

Concerns are mounting among Ukraine and its European allies following a leak that suggests a new plan may concede to several key Russian demands. According to the leaked details, the plan might prohibit Ukraine’s entry into NATO, recognize Russian control over a fifth of Ukraine, and restrict the size of Ukraine’s military. These potential concessions have stirred unease, sparking critical discussions in the international community.

Adding to the discourse, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick has voiced significant concerns over the proposed strategy, labeling the Witkoff-led talks as a “major problem” in a social media post. His statement underscores the tension between diplomatic negotiations and perceived concessions.

Trump later said progress was being made and Russia was making concessions even though the war — in which Russian forces have been advancing — was only going to move “in one direction”.

Russia says ‘premature’ to claim peace deal close

Russia has also expressed concerns about the leak of Witkoff and Ushakov’s call, saying it was an unacceptable attempt to undermine peace efforts and amounted to hybrid warfare.

It’s been nearly four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Source: Getty / Global Images Ukraine

Russian forces control more than 19 per cent of Ukraine following Moscow’s 2022 invasion, and have advanced in 2025 at the fastest pace since 2022, although the advances remain slow and Ukraine says Russia has incurred heavy losses to achieve them.