US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday, sparking hopes for progress in talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting was seen as constructive and very useful by Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, who said it helped bring Russia and the US closer to agreeing on key issues.
The talks came amid pressure from Washington, which has threatened to walk away from the negotiations if a deal cannot be reached within days. The US had proposed significant sacrifices from Ukraine, including recognition of Crimea as Russian territory and ceding large swaths of land to Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the idea, saying there was “nothing to talk about” as recognizing Crimea as part of Russia would be against Ukraine’s constitution. However, Zelensky conceded that Ukraine lacks the military might needed to retake Crimea by force and urged the international community to maintain pressure on Russia.
Meanwhile, a senior Russian general died in a car bombing in Moscow on Friday, according to authorities. The blast occurred less than 20 miles east of the capital and was caused by an improvised explosive device packed with shrapnel. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/25/europe/russian-military-officer-killed-intl/index.html