In a significant diplomatic effort, US peace envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner engaged in over three hours of discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. This meeting marks Washington’s ongoing attempts to reignite peace talks aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. According to the White House, the discussions centered on concrete plans for the next steps toward a potential resolution, with more details anticipated to emerge soon. Following their engagement in Moscow, Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to travel to Kyiv to confer with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Kremlin reported that the talks encompassed various proposals for a possible settlement, though it did not indicate any significant breakthrough. Putin reaffirmed Russia’s stance that the root causes of the conflict must be addressed and asserted that Russia is making headway on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy commented that recent Russian strikes on Kyiv and Boryspil International Airport seemed to coincide with the US negotiators’ visit. He also cautioned that Ukraine would modify its military strategies in response to Russia’s use of airspace for attacks.
Efforts to restart peace negotiations have been a priority for Washington, particularly after previous attempts failed to yield an agreement. President Donald Trump has emphasized ending the war as a key foreign-policy objective and recently highlighted that Witkoff and Kushner are carrying a new proposal aimed at resolving the conflict. However, considerable differences persist between Moscow and Kyiv. Russia maintains its demand for control over certain territories and opposes Ukraine’s potential NATO membership, conditions that Ukraine has firmly rejected.
The conflict has seen an escalation in recent weeks, with both sides conducting extensive drone and missile strikes. Russian assaults have targeted Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces have focused on hitting Russian military installations, energy infrastructure, and oil refineries to weaken Moscow’s military efforts. This latest diplomatic initiative by Washington seeks to bridge the substantial divide between the two nations, even as hostilities continue along the approximately 1,250-kilometer frontline.