Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff held secret talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting resulted in a temporary agreement to stop attacks on the capitlas of Russia and Ukraine.
Kushner and Witkoff's Three-Hour Kremlin Summit
Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law to Donald Trump, engaged in more than three hours of confidential discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the report,the American delegation was escorted to the Kremlin by Kirill Dmitriev, Russia's presidential investment envoy, for the sealed-door sessin.
During the meeting, Vladimir Putin characterized the conflict in Ukraine as a "complicated situation." He specifically praised the determination of the U.S. delegation and Donald Trump's efforts to reach a settlement, suggesting a willingness to engage with the Trump administration's specific brand of diplomacy.
A Three-Day Truce for Kyiv and Moscow
One of the most immediate results of the talks was a mutual agreement to halt military strikes on the respective capitals of the warring nations. As reported, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Vladimir Putin ordered a freeze on strikes against Kyiv for three days, beginning at midnight on Saturday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine would reciprocate by halting attacks on Moscow until Monday. President Zelenskyy noted that he had been in commmunication with the U.S. delegation on Saturday afternoon, signaling a fragile but functional coordination between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine to facilitate these high-level discussions.
The Six-Month Iran Diversion and Economic Incentives
This diplomatic push comes after a period where U.S. attention was heavily diverted; the report notes that the United States has focused on the Iran war for the past six months,which slowed the momentum for a resolution in Ukraine. the return to Moscow suggests a strategic pivot back toward Eastern Europe.
The discussions in Moscow were not limited to military ceasefires. Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov indicated that the envoys discussed economic issues and "mutually beneficial joint projects" between Russia and the United States in considerable detail. This suggests that the Trump administration may be viewing economic cooperation as a primary lever to incentivize a Russian withdrawal or a permanent peace treaty.
The Unspecified Proposal and the Kyiv Leg
While the meetings were described as constructive, the specific terms of the peace plan remain hidden. Donald Trump has stated that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were sent to determine if a "substantive breakthrough" is possible, hinting that the delegation brought a specific proposal to end the war , though the details of this proposal have not been disclosed.
The diplomatic mission is now moving into its next phase, as Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are scheduled to travel to Kyiv. This will mark their first visit to the Ukrainian capital as part of this peace initiative, and it remains to be seen if President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will accept the same terms that were discussed behind closed doors in the Kremlin.
Comments 0