United States envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday that negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine have advanced significantly, with talks now focused on a single unresolved issue. His comments came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Switzerland for high-level discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Witkoff told attendees at the World Economic Forum in Davos that negotiations had reached an advanced stage.
“If both sides are committed to a solution, then it can be resolved,” he said, adding that substantial progress had already been made.
Zelenskiy Reverses Davos Decision
Earlier in the week, Zelenskiy had said he would skip the annual Davos gathering and remain in Kyiv to manage an escalating energy crisis. Russian airstrikes targeting electricity infrastructure have left large areas of the capital and other regions without power.
The Ukrainian leader had insisted he would only attend the forum if there was a realistic chance of signing an agreement with Trump that included long-term security guarantees and funding for post-war reconstruction.
On Wednesday, Trump confirmed that the two leaders would meet in Davos, saying a potential agreement was “reasonably close.”
Scheduled Meeting and Public Address
Zelenskiy’s spokesperson confirmed that the president arrived in Switzerland on Thursday. He is due to meet Trump at 1:00 p.m. local time (1200 GMT) before delivering a speech at the forum later in the afternoon.
Witkoff reiterated that the talks had gained momentum, telling the Davos audience that recent discussions had helped narrow remaining differences.
Moscow Talks With Putin Planned
Witkoff is expected to travel later on Thursday to Moscow with fellow U.S. envoy Jared Kushner, for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin said on Wednesday that discussions would include possible settlement terms, the use of frozen Russian assets abroad for reconstruction, and Trump’s proposal for a global Board of Peace. Critics have argued that the idea could undermine the role of the United Nations.
The Kremlin said the meeting would take place later in the evening Moscow time and welcomed Witkoff’s diplomatic efforts, though it declined to comment on his assessment that a deal was close.
Markets React as Fighting Continues
Financial markets responded positively to the diplomatic activity, with Ukraine’s international bonds rising by more than two cents on Thursday amid renewed hopes of progress toward ending the conflict.
Asked when he might visit Ukraine, Witkoff said he expected to travel there “soon,” without giving a specific timeframe, according to footage shared by Ukrainian media.
Despite the diplomatic momentum, fighting continued on the ground. Russian air attacks struck multiple areas of Ukraine on Thursday. In the southern Odesa region, a drone hit an apartment building, killing a 17-year-old, according to local authorities.