In a significant diplomatic effort, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner engaged in over three hours of intensive discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. This meeting is part of Washington’s renewed attempt to find a resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to the White House, the talks centered on concrete steps towards a potential settlement, with further details anticipated in the coming weeks. Following their discussions in Moscow, Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to visit Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Kremlin representatives noted that the dialogue included several proposals for a possible resolution, yet they did not signal any major breakthroughs. Putin emphasized the necessity of addressing the underlying causes of the conflict and claimed that Russia is advancing on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy pointed out that recent Russian strikes on Kyiv and Boryspil International Airport seemed connected to the arrival of the US negotiators, adding that Ukraine would modify its military strategies in response to Russia’s airspace maneuvers.
The United States is striving to rekindle negotiations after earlier attempts at peace did not yield an agreement. Ending the war has been a key foreign policy goal for President Donald Trump, who recently mentioned that Witkoff and Kushner are carrying a new proposal aimed at resolving the conflict. Nonetheless, significant differences persist between Moscow and Kyiv. Russia maintains its demand for control over certain territories and opposes Ukraine’s NATO membership, while Ukraine firmly rejects these conditions.
As the conflict has escalated in recent weeks, there has been a notable increase in long-range drone and missile strikes from both sides. Russian forces have targeted Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, while Ukrainian forces have struck Russian military sites, energy facilities, and oil refineries to undermine Moscow’s war capabilities. The latest diplomatic initiative by Washington comes amid ongoing efforts to bridge the substantial gaps between the two parties, as hostilities continue along the approximately 1,250-kilometer frontline.