MOSCOW/ISLAMABAD (MNN); Russian President Vladimir Putin has met US President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, at the Kremlin for talks aimed at finding a possible settlement to the Ukraine conflict.
The two US envoys arrived in Moscow as part of a diplomatic mission that is expected to take them to Kiev following their discussions with Russian officials.
During the meeting, President Putin thanked Witkoff and Kushner and acknowledged President Trump’s continued efforts to contribute to a resolution of the conflict.
Putin said that contacts and negotiations of this nature were always beneficial.
The US envoys, in turn, thanked the Russian president for receiving them and particularly welcomed his decision to order a three-day pause in strikes on Kiev.
Earlier, Witkoff and Kushner were received at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport by Kirill Dmitriev, President Putin’s investment envoy, who has previously held several rounds of discussions with both American representatives in Russia and the United States.
The US envoys later travelled to the Kremlin for their meeting with the Russian president.
US Peace Proposal Under Discussion
President Trump said on Friday that Witkoff and Kushner were travelling to Moscow before heading to Kiev with a proposal aimed at ending the war.
However, the US president did not disclose details of the proposal or specify the issues expected to be discussed with Russian and Ukrainian officials.
Witkoff and Kushner have been involved in several high-level diplomatic negotiations on behalf of President Trump, and their visits to Moscow and Kiev are seen as part of Washington’s broader effort to facilitate a political settlement.
On Thursday, Putin praised the work of the two US representatives and described them as sincere interlocutors involved in diplomatic contacts concerning the Ukraine conflict.
“Mr Kushner and Witkoff are always welcome guests here,” Putin said, adding that Russia worked with them constructively.
Diplomatic Efforts Continue
President Trump has sought to mediate an agreement between Russia and Ukraine since returning to office.
However, despite earlier hopes of progress following Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska, diplomatic efforts have struggled to produce a breakthrough because of continuing differences between Moscow and Kiev on key issues.
Both Witkoff and Kushner have previously visited Moscow during Trump’s current term, but neither had travelled to Kiev before the latest diplomatic mission.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky had repeatedly called for the two envoys to visit Kiev as well and publicly questioned why their engagements had focused more heavily on Moscow.
The latest meetings are being closely watched as a possible attempt to revive stalled diplomatic efforts and create a pathway towards negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine Conflict and Military Pressure
Meanwhile, the conflict continues to place heavy pressure on Ukraine’s military and economic infrastructure.
Ukraine has sought additional air defence capabilities, including Patriot interceptor missiles, to counter Russian missile and drone attacks.
Reports have indicated that Kiev has faced difficulties in securing additional supplies of interceptors amid pressure on US military stockpiles.
In recent months, Ukraine has intensified drone operations against targets inside Russia, including transport infrastructure and energy facilities.
Russia has responded with continued strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and logistics, further disrupting transportation and trade routes.
The latest diplomatic mission by Witkoff and Kushner is expected to determine whether the renewed contacts between Washington, Moscow and Kiev can create momentum for a possible political settlement.
