Putin holds 'frank' talks with US envoys on Ukraine peace proposals
The Kremlin announced Saturday that President Vladimir Putin conducted highly substantive negotiations with United States envoys regarding potential pathways to resolve the ongoing war in Ukraine, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
"The American representatives prepared thoroughly for this trip," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. "They did not only express their traditional interest in bringing the hostilities to a quick end, they put forward a number of ideas on possible routes to a settlement."
The discussions in Moscow involved US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, marking their latest diplomatic effort to broker peace in a conflict that has generated massive casualties and regional instability. This represents their first planned visit to Kyiv since Trump assumed office in January 2025, though they have traveled to Moscow several times, including in January 2026.
Ushakov, who has served as Putin's foreign policy aide since 2012 and previously served as Russia's ambassador to the United States from 1998 to 2008, characterized the exchange as "constructive, extremely frank and trustful." He added that the Russian side "expressed confidence in achieving the set goals."
A White House official confirmed the talks had been "substantive" and indicated that next steps would be announced in the coming weeks. The meeting also included Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's investment envoy and special envoy for economic affairs, who heads Russia's sovereign wealth fund.
Putin praised Trump's commitment to conflict resolution during televised remarks at the start of the talks. "Understanding that he is entering a difficult situation, he nevertheless does not stop his efforts to help bring about a settlement and to make his contribution to resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict," the Russian president said.
Diplomatic preparations amid ongoing hostilities
The negotiations occurred against a backdrop of intense military action. Moscow had launched near-continuous attacks on Kyiv for eight consecutive days prior to the talks, including strikes on the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service on Friday. Ukraine responded with long-range attacks targeting Russian oil storage and refining facilities throughout the summer.
President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to refrain from Ukrainian airstrikes on Russia on Saturday to facilitate the safe arrival of the US envoys, requesting Moscow reciprocate during the diplomatic engagement. Zelensky said Kyiv was prepared to suspend strikes on Moscow through Monday.
The meeting forms part of broader diplomatic engagement between Washington and Moscow. CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced visit to Moscow the week before the Witkoff-Kushner trip, indicating multiple channels of communication remain active.
Economic dimensions and next steps
Beyond security issues, Ushakov revealed that economic matters featured prominently in the discussions. "The talks went beyond a mere exchange of views on resolving the Ukrainian crisis. Economic issues and potential major, mutually beneficial Russian-American projects were discussed in some detail," he said.
Dmitriev posted on social media platform X that the meeting had been an "important peacemaking visit." He added: "Overall, one can say that the negotiations were timely and highly useful for both sides."
The American delegation departed Moscow shortly after the talks concluded and is scheduled to meet with President Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday to discuss the proposals and gauge Ukrainian perspectives on potential settlement frameworks.
Trump had campaigned on a promise to end the war within 24 hours of taking office, but nearly two years into his second term, his administration has made limited progress toward achieving a comprehensive settlement. Russia and Ukraine remain significantly divided on fundamental terms for ending the conflict, which has become the deadliest in Europe since World War Two.
Russia has maintained that any settlement must include Ukraine's withdrawal from the eastern Donbas region, abandonment of NATO membership aspirations, agreement to remain neutral without Western military presence, and recognition of Russia's annexation of four partially occupied regions. Ukraine has rejected these demands as incompatible with its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
