Charles Maines

It's a good question, you know, because Putin, it seems, is trying to tempt the U.S.

into upping the pressure on Ukraine to accept a deal.

On Friday, he offered an immediate end to hostilities if Ukraine withdraws from territory Moscow claims, which may sound appealing if you ignore that it's Ukrainian land that Russia hasn't been able to seize in more than three years of fighting, although Putin argues it's just a matter of time.

Meanwhile, Russia has been tempting the U.S.

in other ways.

Putin's negotiators, they constantly talk about how much money the U.S.

could make in Russia once the war ends and sanctions are lifted.

which is why some of these statements out of Florida were interesting to hear.

You know, they suggest the U.S.

now sees prosperity, business deals as key to a lasting peace.

The question is, to what degree are they seen as a substitute for Western security guarantees for Ukraine that Kiev has always sought and Moscow has always rejected?

Thank you.

The Kremlin says the U.S.

has now provided a document outlining the main parameters of its peace proposal, one amended with input from Ukraine and Europe after an earlier version was criticized as heavily tilted in Moscow's favor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested the plan could still be the basis of a settlement, but only if Ukraine is the one to make key concessions.

Among them, a demand to surrender territory claimed but not controlled by Russia after more than three years of fighting.

The topic is sure to come up when Ukrainian negotiators meet with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and other administration officials this weekend in Florida.

Witkoff then heads to Russia for talks with Putin in the coming days.

Charles Baines, NPR News, Moscow.

In an interview with a Russian policy journal, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rybkov said the prospect of a new Trump-Putin meeting remained.