US side presents “several ideas” in Moscow for ending the war

After months of stalled efforts to end the war in Ukraine, the US side arrived in Moscow with what Russian officials called “several ideas” for a possible settlement. Russian President Vladimir Putin met US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin for three hours on Saturday.

The Kremlin described the talks as “extremely candid, constructive and marked by trust.” The White House said the two sides discussed concrete proposals. Russian presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov said the US representatives had prepared thoroughly and had offered more than their usual call for a quick end to hostilities.

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The situation is of course not simple.

“Representatives of the United States prepared thoroughly for this visit. They did not simply repeat their usual interest in a rapid end to hostilities, but also presented a range of ideas about possible paths to a solution,” Ushakov told reporters. He said the Russian side expressed confidence that its objectives would be achieved, but did not specify what those objectives were. A White House spokesperson said the envoys had discussed “substantive plans for further steps, which will be made public in the coming weeks.”

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Representatives of the United States prepared thoroughly for this visit. They did not simply repeat their usual interest in a rapid end to hostilities, but also presented a range of ideas about possible paths to a solution.

Witkoff and Kushner have represented Washington in diplomatic efforts between Kyiv and Moscow, and have visited Moscow several times. They had not previously visited Kyiv, but were expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy had proposed a ceasefire during their visits to the Russian and Ukrainian capitals. Putin separately announced a three-day halt to air attacks on Kyiv.

Both countries said their capitals were not attacked overnight, although each reported strikes elsewhere. Zaporizhzhia Governor Ivan Fedorov said Russian forces had carried out 886 drone, aircraft and artillery attacks on 54 settlements in the region over 24 hours, killing one person and injuring 25. Ukrainian authorities said a Russian drone strike in Chuhuiv killed three members of one family, while a Russian drone strike hit a border crossing with Romania. An unofficial Telegram source reported a fire at an oil refinery in Ryazan after a Ukrainian drone attack, while local authorities confirmed only a fire in an industrial area.

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Substantive plans for further steps, which will be made public in the coming weeks.