A high-level meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner has concluded in Moscow. The three-hour session, which the Kremlin described as "extremely frank," was aimed at advancing President Donald Trump's agenda to reach a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine. The White House confirmed the meeting took place and indicated that substantive next steps regarding the talks will be formally announced in the coming weeks.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov characterized the negotiations as constructive and trustful. According to Ushakov, the American representatives arrived well-prepared, presenting a series of ideas on potential routes to ending the hostilities. He noted that the Russian leadership expressed confidence in achieving their set goals. Presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev also participated in the discussions.
Ahead of the meeting, President Putin acknowledged that the current situation is "certainly complex," while commending President Trump for his persistence in seeking peace efforts. Putin added that he considers direct contacts to be inherently beneficial. For his part, Witkoff thanked Putin for agreeing to a three-day ceasefire while he and Kushner conduct their regional mission. The US envoy also expressed thanks on behalf of the family of former US Marine Robert Gilman, who was released by Moscow last month after being held in custody since 2022.
The US delegation arrived at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport on Saturday and is scheduled to travel to Kiev on Sunday for their first visit to the Ukrainian capital. Following the Moscow talks, the White House stated that both sides look forward to equally productive meetings in Ukraine. On Friday, President Trump noted that Kushner and Witkoff carried a concrete proposal intended to end the war, which has now lasted more than four years.
