US envoys head to Ukraine after Moscow talks with Putin

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner left Moscow after three hours of closed-door talks with Vladimir Putin, carrying hopes that meetings in Ukraine could prove “equally productive.” The discussions took place at Putin’s official residence in the Russian capital as Washington’s efforts to advance negotiations continued.

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a substantive conversation

Russian state media reported that the talks covered more than possible terms for resolving the war. Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov described them as “constructive, extremely frank” and said the sides discussed economic issues and potential major Russian-American projects in considerable detail.

Ushakov also said the meeting noted what he called the Russian army’s “tangible advances in the combat zone.” He added that the talks recognized the need to address “the root causes of the conflict,” language that reflects Moscow’s longstanding framing of the war.

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constructive, extremely frank

Details remained limited, although both sides issued broadly positive comments. The meeting came amid intensified Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv. Russia still controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory seized in 2022, while its ground forces have made slow advances for much of the conflict at enormous human cost.

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tangible advances in the combat zone

The next stage could take place in Kyiv. Ukraine has closed its airspace since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, leaving the envoys’ route from Moscow uncertain. The talks also followed months of intensified aerial attacks. Ukraine says interceptor shortages have made ballistic missiles difficult to repel, while Kyiv has concentrated strikes on Russian economic infrastructure, especially oil installations.

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the root causes of the conflict