US special envoySteve Witkoffand President Donald Trumps son-in-lawJared Kushnerare meeting with Russian PresidentVladimir Putinat theKremlin, where they will present an incipient peace plan that Washington hopes can end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine.

Coinciding with Witkoffs trip, Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskywent toIreland, continuing his visits to European countries that have helped sustain Kyiv's fight against Russias invasion.

In what could be a high-stakes day of negotiations, Zelensky said he was expecting swift reports later in the day from the US envoys in Moscow on whether talks could move forward, after Trumps initial 28-point plan was whittled down to 20 in Sundays talks between US and Ukrainian officials inFlorida.

They want to report right after that meeting to us, specifically. The future and the next steps depend on these signals. Such steps will change throughout today, even hour by hour, I believe, Zelensky said at a news conference in Dublin with Irish Prime Minister Michel Martin.

If the signals show fair play with our partners, we then might meet very soon, meet with the American delegation, he said.

There is a lot of dialogue, but we need results. Our people are dying every day, Zelensky said. I am ready ... to meet with President Trump. It all depends on todays talks.

Witkoff and Kushner were seen leaving a restaurant in central Moscow at lunchtime ahead of their meeting with Putin.

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After months of frustration in his efforts to stop the fighting, Trump is deploying officials to get traction for his peace proposals. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the talks would take as long as needed and will involve only Witkoff, Kushner and an interpreter from the US side.

The talks have followed parallel lines so far, with US Secretary of StateMarco Rubiositting down with Ukrainian officials, and now Witkoff and Kushner in Moscow.

Zelensky said he met Tuesday with the Ukrainian delegation that returned from the negotiations with US representatives in Florida. Rubio said those talks made progress, but added that theres more work to be done.

Zelensky said the Florida talks took as their cue a document that both sides drafted at an earlier meeting in Geneva. The Ukrainian leader said that the document was now finalised, although he didnt explain what that meant.

Ukrainian diplomats are working to ensure that European partners are substantially involved in decision-making, Zelensky said on theTelegrammessaging app, and warned about what he said were Russian disinformation campaigns aimed at steering the negotiations.

Ukrainian intelligence will provide partners with the information we have about Russias true intentions and its attempts to use diplomatic efforts as cover to easesanctionsand block important collective European decisions, Zelensky said.

Zelensky met with political leaders and lawmakers in Dublin on his first official visit to Ireland, which is officially neutral and isnt a member ofNATObut has sent nonlethal military support to Ukraine. More than 100,000 Ukrainians have moved to Ireland since Russia launched its war on February 24, 2022.

Though this weeks consultations could move the process forward, few details have become public. It remains unclear how envoys are going to bridge the gap between the two sides on such basic differences as who keeps what territory.

European officials say the road to peace will be long. European leaders, who fear Russias future territorial ambitions and are trying to figure out how they can fund Ukraines fight beyond this year, are trying to make their voices heard after being largely sidelined by Washington. They are also working on future security guarantees for Ukraine.

Read moreMacron calls for Europeans to have a seat at the table in Ukraine negotiations

Zelensky was in Paris on Monday, and French PresidentEmmanuel Macronsaid they spoke by phone with Witkoff and Trump. They also spoke to leaders of eight other European countries as well as topEuropean Unionofficials and NATO Secretary-GeneralMark Rutte.

Macron said the coming days will see crucial discussions between US officials and Western partners.

Diplomats face a hard time trying to bridge Russian and Ukrainian differences and persuading them to strike compromises. The key obstacles over whetherKyivshould cede land to Moscow and how to ensure Ukraines future security appear unresolved.

Zelensky is under severe pressure in one of the darkest periods of the war for his country. As well as managing diplomatic pressure, he must find money to keep Ukraine afloat, address a corruption scandal that has reached the top echelons of his government, and keep Russia at bay on the battlefield.

The Kremlin late Mondayclaimedthat Russian forces have captured the key city of Pokrovsk in theDonetskregion of eastern Ukraine. Zelensky, however, said that fighting was still ongoing in Pokrovsk on Monday.

Ukraines general staff on Tuesday also denied Russias claims to have captured Pokrovsk, saying it was apropagandastunt. The Ukrainian army is readying additional logistic routes to deliver supplies to troops in the area, the Facebook post said.

(FRANCE 24 with AP)

Originally published on France24