Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow after mediating the first direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in nine months, which yielded only a prisoner exchange. During the two-hour Kremlin meeting, Putin reiterated his demand for recognition of four annexed Ukrainian regions, a condition President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly rejected. The diplomatic efforts proceed against the backdrop of an active 750-mile front line, where Russian strikes continue to knock out heat, power, and water across Ukrainian cities.
Key points
Diplomatic discussions remain stalled over irreconcilable positions regarding the status…: Diplomatic discussions remain stalled over irreconcilable positions regarding the status of four Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia in 2022.
The United States is actively attempting to expand negotiations to include European allie…: The United States is actively attempting to expand negotiations to include European allies despite strong resistance from Moscow.
Ukrainian civilian infrastructure faces worsening disruptions to water, heat, and power a…: Ukrainian civilian infrastructure faces worsening disruptions to water, heat, and power as winter approaches along the front line.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
MOSCOW — U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys met Thursday with President Vladimir Putin as Washington sought new momentum in peace efforts after two days of U.S.-mediated negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who is also Trump's son-in-law, brokered the talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Those were the first direct discussions between representatives of Moscow and Kyiv in nine months as the push for peace stalled.
The two days of talks that ended Wednesday produced no major breakthrough, aside from an agreement to swap a large number of prisoners, with the exact figure still to be announced.
Kushner and Witkoff went straight to the Kremlin to brief Putin in a meeting that lasted about two hours and are scheduled to fly to Dublin, Ireland, for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the conflict stretches toward the five-year mark.
U.S. envoys want Europe at the negotiating table, too
Kushner said that one of the goals of the meeting with Putin was to get the Russian leader's blessing for European representatives…
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