High-Stakes US-Russia Talks on Ukraine Fail to Yield Breakthrough
High-stakes talks between the United States and Russia on ending the war in Ukraine failed to produce a breakthrough on Tuesday, as the Kremlin emphasized that no compromise had been reached on the critical issue of territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and special envoy Steve Witkoff in the Kremlin, following earlier signals from Moscow that its forces were prepared to continue fighting to achieve its initial war goals.
The meeting marked a pivotal moment for Ukraine, coming amid a tense week of intense diplomatic efforts. At the center of the discussions was a revised US plan aimed at bringing peace, which had been adjusted under pressure from Kyiv and its European allies.
Top Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov stated after the meeting that while no compromise had been found on occupied Ukrainian territories, some American proposals could still be discussed. “Some proposed formulations do not fit us, and work will continue,” he added. Meanwhile, Trump acknowledged the difficulty of achieving progress on ending the nearly four-year-long conflict. “Our people are over in Russia right now to see if we can get it settled,” he said during a cabinet meeting at the White House. “Not an easy situation, let me tell you. What a mess.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that any peace plan must end the war permanently, rather than just pausing the fighting that began with Moscow’s offensive in February 2022. In a social media post, he stressed that “there will be no simple solutions” and highlighted the importance of fairness, transparency, and ensuring that decisions about Ukraine’s future are made with the country’s involvement.
Moscow Rejects Revised Plan
Kushner and Witkoff were tasked with presenting Putin with the updated version of the US plan, which had been revised after the initial proposal raised concerns in Kyiv and across Europe. Ushakov noted that the original US plan was divided into four parts and discussed during a five-hour meeting in the Kremlin. While there were some points of agreement, Ushakov also mentioned that Putin maintained a critical stance on several proposals.
Putin has consistently demanded that Kyiv cede territory that Moscow claims as its own. Additionally, the Kremlin rejects the idea of a European force monitoring a truce in Ukraine. In his social media post, Zelensky pointed out that the most challenging issues involve territorial disputes, frozen Russian assets, and security guarantees.
Despite the lack of immediate progress, Ushakov described the talks in Moscow as “useful” and noted that Russian and US positions did not diverge further after the meeting.
Russian Pressure Mounts
Before the US talks began, Putin sent a hawkish message, claiming that Pokrovsk, an eastern Ukrainian stronghold, was a “good foothold for solving all the tasks set at the beginning of the special military operation.” Kyiv faces pressure on multiple fronts, with Russian forces advancing rapidly in eastern Ukraine. The country has also been shaken by corruption scandals that led to the resignation of its top negotiator on the conflict — Zelensky’s right-hand man.
Moscow has intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity and heating. Zelensky accused the Kremlin of trying to “break” his country. Putin, meanwhile, criticized Europe for allegedly sabotaging a deal on the conflict and issued a stark warning: “We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now.”
Zelensky suggested that Moscow’s true motivation for engaging in US talks might be to ease Western sanctions. Kushner, who played a key role in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza earlier this year, joined the discussions for the first time, according to reports.
Concerns Over European Involvement
Europe remains wary of the possibility that Washington and Moscow could strike a deal behind its back or force Ukraine into making unfair concessions. The original 28-point US plan, revealed last month, drew criticism for being too close to Moscow’s demands, leading to accusations that Russia may have influenced its drafting. These allegations were denied by Washington.
Bloomberg reported that Witkoff helped coach Russian officials on how Putin should address Trump, based on an audio recording. Witkoff has met with Putin multiple times, but this marked the first time Kushner joined the talks.
