US special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday to advance high-level diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, according to coverage by the BBC, Financial Times, CNN, and The Guardian. The talks occurred as American negotiators prepared to travel to Kyiv for subsequent discussions with Ukrainian leadership.
Diplomatic Engagement in Moscow
According to video released by the Kremlin and reported by The Guardian, Vladimir Putin welcomed the US delegation at his presidential residence on Saturday afternoon. Putin acknowledged the complexity of the ongoing negotiations and conveyed appreciation to US President Donald Trump for initiating the meeting. “The situation we need to work through today is, of course, not a simple one,” Putin stated, according to The Guardian. “Before we begin doing that, I want to ask you to convey my very best wishes, and a word of gratitude, to the President of the United States, Mr. Trump.”
The high-level American delegation includes Steve Witkoff, serving as a special envoy, and Jared Kushner, according to BBC and The Guardian reporting. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian sovereign wealth fund (RDIF) and a Kremlin special envoy, also participated in the Saturday session, as reported by The Guardian. Steve Witkoff struck a warm tone during the exchanges, telling Putin, according to The Guardian, that “when we retire, we’ll have all these incredible stories, and incredible memories, and yours will be right at the top of it all.”
Planned Travel to Kyiv and Temporary Security Measures
Following the meetings in Moscow, Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to travel to Kyiv on Sunday for their first direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to The Guardian. To facilitate the visit, Putin ordered a three-day halt in Russian attacks on Kyiv beginning at midnight on Saturday, as reported by The Guardian. Putin noted that Ukraine had also significantly reduced strikes on Russian territory, including Moscow, though he emphasized that a formal, broader ceasefire had not been mutually agreed upon: “The Ukrainian authorities published their own call for a broader three-day truce, but we never agreed to this with them,” Putin stated, according to The Guardian.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed he spoke with the US envoys on Saturday, stating on the social media platform X, as reported by The Guardian: “From now through the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes on Moscow, and we expect the Russians to do the same regarding Kyiv.” Zelensky added, “We are waiting for Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and are ready for a substantive conversation.”
Recent Infrastructure Strikes and Divergent Kremlin Positions
The diplomatic mission unfolds amid continuing military actions. Zelensky reported earlier on Saturday that two airports near Kyiv, including Boryspil airport, which historically handled international flights, were struck by Russian missiles, according to The Guardian. Zelensky asserted, as reported by The Guardian, that “these Russian strikes on airports are a reaction to discussions and preparations regarding the possibility of the American side using an aircraft to arrive in Ukraine.” Historically, foreign leaders have traveled to Kyiv by rail from Poland during the conflict.
The US diplomatic push follows near-constant missile and drone strikes on the Ukrainian capital, including a direct hit on Friday against the Kyiv headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service, the SBU, as documented by The Guardian. Zelensky has repeatedly cited an acute shortage of air defense interceptors, leaving Ukraine vulnerable to ballistic missile attacks.
While US President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Friday at the White House, describing Witkoff and Kushner as “great negotiators” bringing a proposal to end the war with “a good chance we will do it,” according to The Guardian, the Kremlin maintained a more cautious stance. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked regarding whether the envoys brought new ideas, “Yesterday Trump himself said that there’s no talk of new ideas. That was a statement by the US president,” as reported by The Guardian. Furthermore, Russian officials have consistently signaled that Moscow expects any diplomatic settlement to account for existing “realities on the ground,” according to Financial Times and The Guardian coverage.
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