A five-hour meeting between top representatives of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump ended without any visible progress toward a peace agreement in Ukraine. According to the Kremlin, discussions were constructive but several proposals remained unacceptable to Russia.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were present at the meeting. Despite extensive diplomatic engagement in recent weeks, the US delegation offered no comment as they departed Moscow.
Before the talks, Putin stated that the proposed adjustments to the US-backed peace plan by Kyiv and European partners were unacceptable. He warned that if Europe wished to start a war, Russia was ready. Although the plan leaked in November had initially been seen as favourable to Russia, updated versions have since introduced significant changes.
Following the meeting, Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov said the Kremlin agreed with parts of the proposal but raised objections to several points. He noted that no draft compromise had yet been finalised, and major issues—including territorial disputes and Europe’s security commitments—remained unresolved.
Prior to the talks, Putin criticised European leaders for supporting Kyiv since the ২০২২ invasion, accusing them of believing mistakenly that Russia could be strategically defeated. He said Russia did not intend to fight Europe but was prepared if conflict erupted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he expected the US delegation to brief him on the negotiations. Whether Witkoff and Kushner would travel to Kyiv or other European capitals for further meetings remained uncertain.
During a press conference in Ireland, Zelensky said there was still a chance to end the war, though several proposals were yet to be finalised. He emphasised Ukraine’s demands for security guarantees and NATO membership, both rejected by Russia and dismissed by Trump. He added that the war must end in a way that prevents Russia from returning.
Ukrainian officials held two rounds of recent high-level talks involving Witkoff, Kushner and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The White House said the proposal had been revised, though the specifics of the updated version were not yet confirmed.
Putin remains firm on his demands regarding eastern Ukrainian regions. Meanwhile, Trump told his Cabinet in Washington that resolving the conflict would not be simple.
Source: BBC
TSN