Efforts to revive peace talks in the Ukraine conflict saw US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner engaging in extensive discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. These discussions, lasting over three hours, are part of Washington’s broader initiative to facilitate a potential resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The White House has indicated that the talks revolved around strategic plans for the next phase towards a settlement, with more information expected to unfold in the coming weeks. Following their Moscow meeting, Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to head to Kyiv for discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Kremlin representatives disclosed that the meeting involved exchanging several proposals for a possible resolution, though no significant breakthroughs were achieved. Putin reiterated Russia’s stance, emphasizing the need to address the root causes of the conflict, and claimed advances on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy suggested that recent Russian strikes on Kyiv and the Boryspil international airport might have been triggered by the US diplomats’ arrival. He also cautioned that Ukraine might revise its military strategies in light of Russia’s aerial incursions.
The US has been keen to restart peace negotiations after previous attempts failed to reach a conclusive agreement. President Donald Trump has prioritized ending the conflict as a key foreign policy goal and recently highlighted that Witkoff and Kushner are delivering a fresh proposal aimed at achieving peace. However, substantial disagreements persist between Moscow and Kyiv. Russia insists on maintaining control over certain territories and opposes Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, while Ukraine firmly rejects these conditions.
Amid these diplomatic endeavors, the conflict has seen an escalation, with both sides conducting long-range drone and missile attacks. Russian offensives have targeted Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces have retaliated by hitting Russian military installations, energy sites, and oil refineries in a bid to undermine Russia’s war efforts. This latest diplomatic initiative by Washington seeks to bridge the extensive divide between the warring parties, even as hostilities continue across the approximately 1,250-kilometer frontline.