US envoys meet Putin, then leave Russia for Kyiv

Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday evening, then left Russia for Kyiv as US efforts to revive negotiations over the war in Ukraine moved to a new stage.

Putin told the US envoys that the situation was “of course not simple.” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov later described the talks as “useful,” saying they covered a range of ideas for ending the war. The White House said the meeting addressed “substantive plans” for the next steps and that more details would be announced the following week.

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The situation is of course not simple

Donald Trump had said Kushner and Witkoff were carrying a new proposal, but he did not explain whether it included Ukraine giving territory to Russia, an idea he has previously raised. “We have an idea for peace,” Trump said.

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useful

The Kremlin announced a three-day pause in strikes against Kyiv to coincide with the negotiations. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin had ordered that no strikes be carried out against the Ukrainian capital from midnight. Zelenskyy had already committed to pausing airstrikes against cities involved in the talks.

Zelenskyy said he had spoken with the US envoys and that Ukraine was ready to observe the ceasefire in airstrikes against the cities involved in the negotiation process. He also said Russia should ensure the envoys’ safety in its airspace. “We are concerned about their safety, not about Russia,” he said.

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We have an idea for peace

The White House said the envoys looked forward to equally productive meetings in Ukraine. Zelenskyy had announced the planned visit on Friday, after reports questioned whether it would happen. The trip would mark their first visit to Kyiv since Trump’s reelection. Trump had promised to end the war on his first day back in office but has since acknowledged that the task was more complicated than expected.

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We are concerned about their safety, not about Russia