Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff reveals Russia-Ukraine war’s biggest obstacles

Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, has stated that the key obstacle to resolving the war between Ukraine and Russia is the status of Crimea, the Donetsk People's Republic, the Lugansk People's Republic, as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions.

“The so-called four regions: Donbas, Crimea, you know the names, Luhansk and there’s two others,” Witkoff told US reporter Tucker Carlson in an interview.

Referendums and Russian control

Witkoff highlighted the role of referendums held in these regions, stating that the majority of people voted to be under Russian rule.

“They’re Russian-speaking. There have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule. I think that’s the key issue in the conflict,” he said.

Constitutional challenges for Ukraine

Witkoff also pointed out the legal and political challenges Ukraine faces in ceding these territories.

“That’s the elephant in the room. The elephant in the room is, there are constitutional issues within Ukraine as to what they can concede to with regard to giving up territory. The Russians are de facto in control of these territories,” Witkoff stated.

He further questioned the global stance on the matter and the political survival of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“The question is, will the world acknowledge that those are Russian territories? Can Zelenskyy survive politically if he acknowledges this? This is the central issue in the conflict. Absolutely that,” he added.

Zelensky’s stance on peace talks

On March 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that territorial issues would be part of future peace negotiations. However, he firmly rejected recognising the Russian occupation of Ukrainian land.

“For us, the red line is the recognition of the Ukrainian temporarily occupied territories as Russian. We will not agree to it,” Zelensky stated.

With peace talks still uncertain, the status of these disputed territories remains a major roadblock in resolving the ongoing war.

US-Russia talks planned in Saudi Arabia

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff earlier this week stated that US-Russian talks would take place on Sunday in Jeddah, while Russian officials later clarified that discussions would be held on Monday in Riyadh.

“The talks will be mainly to study the prospects for the possible implementation of a well-known initiative related to the safety of navigation in the Black Sea,” said Yuri Ushakov, President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy aide.

The talks will be bilateral, with Russia represented by Grigory Karasin, chair of the Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Black Sea Grain initiative in focus

The discussions will touch on the Black Sea Initiative, a deal mediated by Turkey and the United Nations in 2022 that allowed for the safe export of nearly 33 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain. Russia withdrew from the agreement in 2023, citing obstacles to its own food and fertilizer exports.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that during a recent call between Putin and Trump, the “Black Sea Initiative” was a key topic.

Trump and Zelensky discuss ceasefire

On March 19, the White House announced that Trump and Putin agreed to technical negotiations on a potential “maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, a full ceasefire, and permanent peace.”

In a separate call, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to halt strikes on energy assets as part of Trump’s proposed roadmap to end the war.

“One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy posted on X. “I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it.”

US pledges defense support to Ukraine

Despite previous tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy, their recent call was described as “very good” by Trump, with top US officials calling it “fantastic.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz confirmed that Trump pledged fresh support for Ukraine.

“Zelenskyy asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems,” their statement read. “President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe.”

Putin’s terms for ceasefire

While Ukraine accepted Trump’s ceasefire proposal, Putin remained firm on his conditions. The Russian leader insists on freezing arms supplies to Ukraine and maintaining control over occupied territories.

“President Trump shared details of his conversation with Putin and the key issues discussed,” Zelensky stated. According to US officials, “technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire.”

Escalation in Eastern Ukraine

Meanwhile, Russia’s offensive continues in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donetsk region. Ukraine is struggling to maintain its foothold in Russia’s Kursk region, where Russian forces claim to have surrounded Ukrainian troops.

Putin’s demands include Ukraine’s withdrawal from the four regions Russia annexed, renouncing NATO aspirations, and significantly downsizing its military.

Zelensky remains cautious

Despite Trump’s mediation efforts, Zelensky remains skeptical of Russian promises.

“Mere promises from Putin to stop strikes on energy infrastructure wouldn’t be enough for Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil assets,” Zelensky said from Helsinki. He reported ongoing Russian attacks, stating that “107 Russian drones were in the sky over Ukraine.”

With ceasefire talks set to begin, the war’s outcome remains uncertain as both sides continue to push their demands.