Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump's son-in-law, and special envoy Steve Witkoff held more than three hours of closed-door discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday. The meetings were part of a renewed effort by the former president to broker an end to the war in Ukraine.
Putin described the situation in Ukraine as "complicated" but praised Trump's efforts to achieve a settlement. "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 of Trump, according to reports.
Trump himself characterized Kushner and Witkoff as "two great negotiators" and stated they were carrying a proposal to end the war. "They're bringing with them a proposal to end the war," Trump said. "They're bringing with them a proposal to end the war, and there may be a good chance that we'll do it."
Putin's foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, described the talks as "constructive, frank, and useful," though he did not disclose specific outcomes. Ushakov noted that Moscow provided a "comprehensive assessment" of the battlefield situation in Ukraine and that economic issues, including potential joint projects between Russia and America, were discussed in detail.
As the high-level talks occurred, both Russian and Ukrainian forces agreed to a temporary halt of strikes on each other's capitals. Putin ordered no strikes on Kyiv starting Monday, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Ukraine would refrain from striking Moscow until Monday as well. Zelenskyy stated he spoke with the U.S. delegation after their arrival.
Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The U.S. administration's focus has been largely directed towards the war in Iran over the past six months, leading to a loss of momentum in diplomatic efforts concerning Ukraine.
Kushner and Witkoff's visit follows a previous trip to Moscow in January for discussions with Putin. The envoys are also scheduled to visit Kyiv on Sunday for the first time as part of their peace mission.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials reported that Russia carried out "deliberate" strikes on airports in Kyiv and Boryspil overnight. Zelenskyy suggested these strikes were a reaction to the potential use of U.S. aircraft for travel to Ukraine. He also reported that four people were killed and five injured in a separate Russian strike in Kamianske.
Prior to the envoys' arrival, Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, questioned the extent to which the U.S. administration was prepared to invest in finding a solution, considering the current realities on the ground. He suggested the situation was not developing in Ukraine's favor.