Brief: Peace Talks Between U.S. and Russia Yield Limited Results
A lengthy five-hour meeting involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, ended without significant progress in resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The discussions took place in Moscow, following a meeting with key Ukrainian representatives regarding a revised peace proposal.
Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy aide, described the meeting as “extremely useful” and highlighted that they discussed critical territorial issues necessary for a resolution. He mentioned that they also explored potential future economic relations between Russia and the U.S.
During their talks, Witkoff and Kushner presented four documents to the Russian side, one of which contained 27 points, though details were not disclosed. A previously leaked plan with 28 points drew criticism from European leaders for being overly favorable to Russia, leading to revisions.
Despite ongoing discussions, territorial demands remain a sticking point, with Russia seeking full control over the Donbas region. Ukrainian forces are still in control of most areas in the city of Kupiansk, despite some Russian advancements reported in the region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Rustem Umerov, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, is organizing a follow-up meeting in Brussels with European national security advisors to discuss the outcomes of the Witkoff-Kushner meeting.
“We will continue to push for real peace,” Zelenskyy stated, expressing optimism for future discussions.
