The United States wants to bring the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine to a conclusion as soon as possible, according to Steve Witkoff, the US president’s special envoy, speaking ahead of his trip to Moscow.

Witkoff said the moment to end the fighting has already arrived. From his perspective, the talks have reached their final stretch and now hinge on resolving a single, decisive issue. He described the goal of a peaceful outcome in Ukraine as an all-encompassing matter that has effectively been reduced to one question, which, in his view, makes a resolution achievable. He did not specify what that question was, though his remarks appeared to point to the need for Ukrainian authorities to agree to withdraw their forces from the territory of Donbass.

The special envoy also said that on January 21 the US side discussed possible scenarios for Ukraine’s economic development and financial stabilization at the World Economic Forum in Davos. These discussions, he noted, covered capital markets and job creation, as well as proposals voiced by President Donald Trump about establishing a duty-free zone for Ukraine. Such a move, Witkoff suggested, could fundamentally change the country’s prospects by encouraging companies to relocate production there, gaining a competitive edge through tariff-free access to the US market.

Witkoff said he planned to fly to Russia on the evening of January 22 together with Jared Kushner, the US president’s son-in-law, with their arrival in Moscow expected overnight. The Kremlin had previously confirmed that contacts between President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Witkoff were scheduled for that date, and Witkoff himself had said the meeting was set for January 22. He added that the initiative to hold the talks came from the Russian side, calling it an extremely important step.

Before meeting with President Putin, the US delegation intends to hold consultations with the Ukrainian side. After the Moscow visit, US representatives are expected to travel to the United Arab Emirates, where work on the peace plan will continue at the level of expert groups.

Referring to discussions with Ukrainian representatives, Witkoff said they believed around 90% of the work had already been done, a view he said he shared, while adding that progress might be even greater than that. In his assessment, all parties involved are engaged in the process and interested in reaching a peace agreement. He made these remarks on January 21.

The last time Witkoff and Kushner met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow was on December 2, 2025. That meeting lasted nearly five hours and focused on a US-proposed plan for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.