Putin Meeting with Trump Envoys Yields No Breakthroughs on Ukraine War
In a marathon five-hour meeting in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump, but the discussions failed to produce significant progress toward ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. The high-stakes diplomatic engagement, which followed Witkoff and Kushner’s Sunday meeting with Ukrainian representatives about a revised peace plan, was described by Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov as “extremely useful, constructive and substantive.” However, the absence of major breakthroughs underscores the complexity of finding a resolution to a conflict that has raged since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The Moscow talks involved substantive discussions about territorial issues, which Ushakov acknowledged are central to any potential settlement, as well as possibilities for future economic cooperation between Russia and the United States.
The American delegation presented four documents to the Russian side during the meeting, including one containing 27 points, though Ushakov declined to reveal their specific contents. This revised proposal appears to be a modified version of an earlier 28-point plan that had drawn criticism from European leaders for being overly favorable to Moscow. The territorial question emerged as a particularly thorny issue during the discussions, with Ushakov indicating that while some American proposals were “more or less acceptable,” they would require further negotiation. “Certain wording we have been offered is not suitable for us. In other words, the work will continue,” the senior Russian diplomat explained, suggesting a significant gap remains between the positions of the two sides on how to resolve territorial disputes resulting from the war.
The most significant obstacle in the peace talks centers on Russia’s territorial demands. Moscow wants Ukraine to surrender the entire Donbas region, including areas not currently under Russian military control. This maximalist position conflicts with Ukraine’s desire to preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Meanwhile, the battlefield situation continues to evolve, with the Institute for the Study of War reporting Russian advances in several areas, including Sumy Oblast and near Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk, and Huliaipole. Ukraine’s Joint Forces Task Force has noted that while Ukrainian forces still control most of the city of Kupiansk, Russian forces maintain a presence in northern parts of the city, illustrating the fluid nature of the frontlines and the continuing military dimension of the conflict.
Following the Moscow meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, was preparing to meet with European national security advisors in Brussels to brief them on the Witkoff-Kushner discussions with Putin. This reflects Ukraine’s efforts to keep its Western allies informed and engaged in the peace process, particularly as concerns have arisen about potential concessions that might be demanded of Kyiv. “After Brussels, Rustem Umerov and Andrii Hnatov will begin preparations for a meeting with envoys of President Trump in the United States,” Zelenskyy stated, indicating a continuation of diplomatic efforts across multiple fronts to find a path toward peace.
The diplomatic initiative led by Witkoff and Kushner represents a significant attempt by the incoming Trump administration to address one of the most pressing international conflicts ahead of Trump’s return to the White House in January. The involvement of Kushner, who played a key role in Middle East diplomacy during Trump’s first term, alongside Witkoff suggests the high priority placed on finding a resolution to the Ukraine war. However, the limited progress from the Moscow talks highlights the challenges of reconciling fundamentally different positions on territorial sovereignty and security guarantees. The Russian side appears to have engaged seriously with the American proposals, analyzing them in detail but finding aspects that remain unacceptable to Moscow’s interests and objectives in Ukraine.
As the diplomatic process continues, Ukraine has emphasized its commitment to constructive engagement while insisting on terms that protect its sovereignty. “As always, Ukraine will work constructively in pursuit of a real peace,” Zelenskyy affirmed, expressing his expectation for further developments following European meetings. The path forward remains uncertain, with territorial disputes, security arrangements, and the future relationship between Russia and Ukraine still to be resolved. The Moscow talks, while not producing immediate breakthroughs, have established a framework for ongoing negotiations that will likely involve additional meetings between representatives of Russia, Ukraine, and the United States in the coming weeks. Whether these efforts can bridge the substantial gaps between the parties’ positions remains to be seen, but the intensive diplomatic engagement suggests a renewed determination to find a negotiated end to a war that has caused immense suffering and reshaped European security dynamics.
