Business partner Steve Witkoff and former White House adviser Jared Kushner, identified as President Donald Trump’s envoys, met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday before departing for Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky. The visits aim to revive Ukraine‑Russia peace negotiations that have been stalled for roughly eight months, according to the Washington Post and the BBC.
Meeting in Moscow
The Kremlin hosted the two U.S. envoys in a late‑night session, during which Putin reportedly ordered a temporary pause in Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. The New York Times noted that the pause was intended to create a conducive environment for the talks, while Al Jazeera and DW.com confirmed that the meeting took place at the Kremlin and was described by Russian officials as “useful.”
“President Putin ordered a pause in strikes on Kyiv ahead of the meeting with the U.S. envoys,” reported by the New York Times.
The discussions focused on “next steps” for ending the war, with the Guardian stating that the envoys and Putin talked about “substantive plans” that would be announced in the coming weeks. Both outlets emphasized that the agenda covered potential mechanisms to halt hostilities and a framework for a broader settlement.
Road to Kyiv
After the Kremlin meeting, Witkoff and Kushner flew to Kyiv, where they were slated to meet Zelensky on Sunday. The BBC and France 24 reported that the U.S. team expressed optimism that the Kyiv talks would be “equally productive.” According to the Guardian, Zelensky was briefed on the discussions and indicated that the U.S. envoys’ visit was linked to recent Russian strikes on Kyiv’s airports, suggesting a possible retaliatory dimension.
The White House, though not directly involved, released a statement via the Guardian that “substantive plans” would be presented in the “coming weeks,” signaling that the U.S. expects to outline a concrete proposal after the Kyiv meeting.
Reactions and Outlook
Russian officials, including Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, described the talks as “useful” but stopped short of claiming any breakthrough, as noted by Reuters. The Hill echoed this sentiment, quoting a Russian source who said the discussions were “constructive” but that “no immediate agreement was reached.” Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials remain cautious; the Guardian highlighted Zelensky’s remark linking the Russian strikes to the timing of the U.S. envoys’ visit, implying that Kyiv expects tangible steps rather than diplomatic platitudes.
Analysts observing the diplomatic push note that the United States is attempting to leverage its personal ties to the former president to re‑open channels that have been largely dormant. The Washington Post emphasized that the initiative seeks to “revive negotiations that have been in a deep freeze,” while the AP News cautioned that any progress will depend on the willingness of Moscow and Kyiv to accept mutually acceptable terms.
As of now, no formal agreement has been announced, and the situation on the ground remains volatile. The envoys’ next steps are expected to involve detailed drafting of the “substantive plans” mentioned by the White House, with the aim of presenting them to both parties in the coming weeks, according to multiple outlets including the BBC and Time. The international community will be watching closely to see whether these talks can translate into a viable pathway toward ending the conflict.
