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The political effort to halt the conflict in Ukraine might be facing a "decisive week," the EU's lead foreign affairs official has remarked, as a representative for ex-leader Donald Trump gets ready to hold talks with Vladimir Putin after weekend talks with Ukrainian officials.

Representative Amid Controversial Ties with Moscow Set for Meeting

Steve Witkoff, the real estate magnate now serving as peace envoy, is scheduled to meet with Putin in Moscow on Tuesday, as announced by. Witkoff was in recent reports revealed for instructing Russian officials on how to win Trump's backing.

"This may be a decisive week for peace efforts," stated the EU's foreign policy chief, but adding it was "evident that Russia does not want peace."

Zelenskyy's European Tour for Backing

Meanwhile, Leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy embarked on a diplomatic push to mobilize support from Ukraine's European friends. He met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday to examine "the terms of a equitable and sustainable peace," as stated by.

The Ukrainian leader is also scheduled to make his first official visit to Ireland on Tuesday. At the same time, his defence minister, Denys Shmyhal, was in Brussels on Monday for discussions with his EU equivalents.

Concern over American Negotiations

The EU diplomat shared frustration that Europeans were not included in recent talks held in Florida between the US and Ukraine, which she described as "challenging yet fruitful." In response to a question about trusting the US to secure a good outcome for Ukraine, she commented, "Ukraine's representatives are there by themselves. If they would be together with the Europeans, they would certainly be far more powerful."

Writing on the platform X, Zelenskyy stated the US talks had been "highly productive" but that there were "a number of challenging issues that still have to be worked through."

Worry over American Peace Plan

European leaders were earlier concerned by a US proposal that surfaced last month, which was seen as skewed in Russia's favor. Its alleged terms included granting Moscow territories in eastern Ukraine it did not yet control, forcing Kyiv to limit the size of its army, and renouncing its ambition to join NATO. While that initial plan has reportedly been toned down, Witkoff's upcoming visit to Moscow—his sixth meeting with Putin—is likely to fuel unease in Kyiv and throughout European capitals.

Witkoff is set to travel to Russia on Monday, alongside Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to continue negotiations. Kushner previously played an key role in negotiations over a Gaza peace deal. The Kremlin has not confirmed whether Kushner would also be present at the meeting with Putin.

Florida Discussions and Political Pressure

The two trusted Trump representatives participated in the Florida discussions between senior Ukrainian and US delegates, which occurred at a private golf club developed by Witkoff's company.

After the session, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced optimism for an end to the war. "There's more work to be done. This is delicate," Rubio said. "We have a lot of elements, and clearly there's another party involved here... that will have to be a part of the solution."

Adding to the international challenges, President Zelenskyy is facing internal strain following the sudden resignation of his chief of staff and top aide, Andriy Yermak. The resignation came in the wake of a expanding anti-corruption investigation that has become the biggest crisis of Zelenskyy's presidency.