Ukraine Shocked: US Negotiators Copy Russia's Proposals, Triggering Controversy

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 27th that Steven Witkoff, a negotiator representing the Trump administration in Ukraine peace agreement talks, echoed language nearly identical to Russian officials’ proposals from the Istanbul negotiations nearly three years ago, shocking Ukrainian officials.

    For Kyiv, Witkoff’s recent remarks—aligning with the Kremlin’s longstanding narrative—claimed that Russia and Ukraine were close to finalizing a peace deal in Istanbul, which collapsed due to pressure from Western leaders, including then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.    Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly insisted that future peace talks must build on the ‌March 2022 Istanbul framework‌, which Moscow interprets as requiring Ukraine to drastically reduce its military, ban foreign weapons and troops, and grant Russia veto power over Western security assistance to Ukraine. Kyiv rejects this framework, noting that the Istanbul discussions were never endorsed by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a CNN interview on the 23rd, Witkoff stated, “The Istanbul talks were a benchmark for progress… I believe there will be a very good day” for finalizing an agreement.

Sources clarified that Witkoff did not endorse core Russian demands (e.g., Ukraine’s demilitarization or Moscow’s veto power). Instead, he argued that the Trump administration could adapt the 2022 negotiations to current battlefield realities rather than starting from scratch.      The U.S. position maintains that Ukraine must retain sufficient defensive capabilities, with the Trump administration pledging to consult allies on defining “security guarantees” and permissible military support. Kyiv, however, views any restrictions on its military or arms as “suicidal.”

Source: World Journal