Christine Drews Sieger
American envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow for high-stakes talks to end the war in Ukraine.
Two top American emissaries landed in Moscow on Saturday for high-stakes diplomatic talks.
The secret Kremlin meeting between Vladimir Putin and the two US envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, lasted more than three hours.
The envoys brought a fresh framework to end the four-year war in Ukraine. Upon arriving in Moscow, the American delegation was received by Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s investment envoy, who facilitated their transport directly to the talks.
While acknowledging the overall complexity of the war, Putin expressed appreciation for Washington’s continued push toward a peaceful resolution.
“Understanding that he is entering a difficult situation, he nevertheless does not stop his efforts to help bring about a settlement and to make his contribution to resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict,” Putin said regarding Donald Trump.
Foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov described the exchange as frank and useful.
“Economic issues and potentially large, mutually beneficial joint projects for Russia and America were discussed in considerable detail,” Ushakov noted, according to the Daily Mail.
Pausing capital strikes
To create a safe backdrop for the diplomatic talks, both warring nations agreed to an immediate break in capital bombardments.
“Putin has ordered that no strikes be carried out against Kyiv for three days, starting at midnight today,” confirmed presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that his country would honor a matching pause over Moscow, according to the Daily Mail.
“From now through the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes on Moscow, and we expect the Russians to do the same regarding Kyiv,” Zelenskyy declared.
Major Obstacles Remain
Despite the positive tone surrounding the Moscow meeting, the path toward a broader peace agreement remains deeply complicated.
According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kremlin officials continue to insist that any settlement must address what Moscow calls the war’s “root causes” — a position that includes blocking Ukraine’s NATO ambitions and imposing major limits on its military.
Kyiv has repeatedly rejected such demands, leaving the US delegation with the daunting task of bridging two deeply opposed visions for peace.
The upcoming Kyiv talks will test whether Washington’s plan can unlock progress where earlier diplomacy stalled.
Heading to Kyiv
According to the Daily Mail, the diplomatic team now turns its focus directly to Ukraine. Both American emissaries plan to land in Kyiv on Sunday for their next round of meetings.
Just prior to the agreed cease-fire, air strikes damaged infrastructure near the Ukrainian capital’s main airports.
Zelenskyy claimed Moscow aimed those strikes directly at the diplomatic route.
“Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions,” Zelenskyy said, while promising that “there are and will be no threats to diplomacy from our side.”
