Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with senior U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow as Washington intensifies diplomatic efforts to revive negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin meeting on Saturday lasted more than three hours and was described by Russian officials as useful and constructive, although there was no immediate breakthrough. Putin discussed the difficult situation surrounding the Ukraine conflict with the U.S. delegation and signaled continued engagement with Washington.
The talks marked a renewed push by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to bring Moscow and Kyiv back toward direct negotiations. Witkoff and Kushner subsequently traveled to Kyiv, where they held their first official meetings in the Ukrainian capital with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy described the Kyiv discussions as “very substantive,” with talks reportedly covering possible steps toward renewed negotiations, security guarantees for Ukraine, military assistance and preparations for the coming winter. Ukrainian officials also indicated that the latest U.S. proposals were more effective than previous initiatives.
The diplomatic activity comes as fighting continues across Ukraine and both sides remain divided over key issues, particularly territory and security guarantees. The U.S. envoys have expressed hope that trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States could be arranged soon.
Despite the renewed diplomatic momentum, officials have cautioned that major obstacles remain. No comprehensive peace agreement has been announced, and continued military activity underscores the fragile nature of the latest effort.
For now, the meetings represent one of the most significant recent attempts to restart stalled negotiations, with Washington seeking to convert diplomatic contacts in Moscow and Kyiv into a broader peace process.