Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow to discuss the outcome of negotiations in Abu Dhabi and steps toward a lasting settlement<\/p>\n
Russian President Vladimir Putin has begun talks with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow, following two days of negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the US in Abu Dhabi.
\nPresidential aides Vladimir Medinsky and Yury Ushakov, along with Putin\u2019s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, are also attending the meeting.
\nPutin opened the discussions by asking the US envoys to convey his thanks to President Donald Trump for organizing contact between Russia and Ukraine, noting the progress on humanitarian issues, TASS reported. Witkoff said the forthcoming prisoner exchange demonstrated progress toward a settlement.
\nBuilding on these humanitarian efforts, Putin proposed a mission to evacuate civilians from Konstantinovka, modeled on the recent operation in Alyoshki. He suggested that the Russian and Ukrainian human rights commissioners organize it.
\nPutin said Russian forces control Konstantinovka and could ensure the mission\u2019s safety, but would need five days to clear mines in the area. If Kiev maintains that it controls the city, it should guarantee security from its side, he added.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Prisoner swap, security, and the sidelines: What came out of the Abu Dhabi talks?<\/p>\n
Turning to the terms of a settlement, Putin said he wants peace in Ukraine to last forever. He added that Russia recognizes only one dividing line with Ukraine \u2013 the national border \u2013 and is aware of Ukrainian discussions about \u201cgray zones.\u201d He also warned that foreign troops deployed to Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets.
\nThe discussion also touched on Europe\u2019s role in the peace process. Witkoff said European representatives were not at the negotiating table in Abu Dhabi but were briefed on the talks.
\nKushner said European governments expressed a desire to take part in negotiations and end the conflict, adding that Washington has begun discussing the continent\u2019s security arrangements with them.
\nWitkoff said he would brief Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky on Thursday\u2019s talks with Putin.
\nThe US envoys arrived in Moscow on Thursday morning and were met at Vnukovo Airport by Dmitriev. Asked about their mood,\u00a0he described it as positive.
\nThe visit follows the first formal trilateral negotiations since February. Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky said European security was the central theme of the Abu Dhabi talks, and that the parties found common ground on some issues while differences remain on others.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Moscow for Ukraine talks with Putin (VIDEO)<\/p>\n
Medinsky also announced an agreement in principle on a large-scale prisoner exchange. Kushner and Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov confirmed the agreement. The US envoy said the numbers will be finalized on Thursday.
\nTerritory remains a major obstacle. Medinsky told RT that \u201cevery inch of our land will be returned to Russia, one way or another.\u201d Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, however, has rejected the idea of withdrawing Ukrainian forces from Donbass. Kushner described the territorial question as the hardest issue to resolve.
\nEuropean representatives remained outside the trilateral meetings, consulting separately with the US and Ukrainian teams. Kushner has argued that the Europeans must be involved in the process, while suggesting that they should select a single representative.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Abu Dhabi talks conclude: How Russian experts assess the outcome<\/p>\n
Ushakov said on Thursday that Europe has yet to agree on a suitable negotiator. Moscow has stated that it is willing to consider concrete European peace proposals but has received none.
\nDeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Putin would explain Russia\u2019s position to the US envoys, after which Washington\u2019s task will be to bring its European partners to their senses. He accused European governments of showing no willingness to exercise common sense while recklessly supporting Kiev.
\nKushner previously said he and Witkoff would travel to Dublin after their trip to Moscow to brief Zelensky.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow to discuss the outcome of negotiations in Abu Dhabi and steps toward a lasting settlement Russian President Vladimir Putin has begun…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41006,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t