The trip—confirmed by both the US envoy and the Kremlin—comes amid ongoing efforts to restart negotiations in earnest after months of stalled diplomacy.

Witkoff told reporters the meeting was requested by the Russians. "Well, look, we have to go meet him on Thursday," Witkoff said in a televised interview. He also hinted at further US proposals by saying, "I think so" when asked if Putin might eventually join former President Trump's informal "Board of Peace."

Positive signals from Davos, but work remains

Before departing for Moscow, US and Russian envoys met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss a long?elusive peace framework for Ukraine. Both sides described that earlier encounter as encouraging. Witkoff characterised their time together as "very positive," while Russia's envoy called the dialogue "constructive," suggesting at least short?term goodwill between the teams.

However, despite the upbeat language, substantive disagreements are still evident. A peace agreement has not been finalised, and key issues such as territorial control and Ukraine's sovereignty remain unresolved. European allies have also increasingly voiced concern that any peace plan must protect Ukraine's territorial integrity and not simply mirror battlefield realities.

The Moscow trip comes at a fraught moment in wider geopolitics, with tensions affecting other Western alliances and delaying related initiatives, such as the Ukraine reconstruction plan initially discussed in Davos. Some European officials told the Financial Times that political distractions linked to disagreements between the US and its partners have sidelined that project for now.

For now, all eyes are on Thursday's scheduled meeting with Putin. If it produces fresh momentum, it could set the stage for future engagement, potentially including direct dialogue between Russia and Kyiv under US auspices.