Putin Holds Over Three-Hour Talks with US Envoys in Moscow
Apnews · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday for renewed talks on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. The meeting lasted more than three hours behind closed doors and ended without announcements of any breakthroughs. Putin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov described the talks as constructive, frank and useful .
Key Points
- Putin asked Kushner and Witkoff to convey warm wishes and gratitude to President Donald Trump, describing the Ukraine situation as "not simple"
- Both sides agreed to pause strikes on each other's capitals during the Moscow talks, with Ukraine extending the pause until Monday
- The US push to end the fighting has lost momentum as American attention has focused on the Iran war for the past six months
- Ushakov said Russia highlighted its army's advances in the combat zone and expressed confidence in achieving stated objectives
- Economic matters and potential large-scale mutually beneficial Russian-US projects were also discussed in considerable detail
Why It Matters
The talks mark the first high-level US-Russia engagement on Ukraine since January, but the absence of concrete outcomes and the ongoing military escalation on both sides suggest that a negotiated settlement remains elusive . The simultaneous focus on Iran and the extension of the capital strike moratorium indicate both sides are keeping diplomatic channels open while maintaining battlefield pressure .
The talks mark the first high-level US-Russia engagement on Ukraine since January, but the absence of concrete outcomes and the ongoing military escalation on both sides suggest that a negotiated settlement remains elusive . The simultaneous focus on Iran and the extension of the capital strike moratorium indicate both sides are keeping diplomatic channels open while maintaining battlefield pressure .