US Envoys Kushner and Witkoff in Moscow to Meet Putin
US envoys Kushner and Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow before heading to Dublin to meet Zelensky, as part of international efforts to end the war in Ukraine following talks in Abu Dhabi.
Translated by Qiyas from كويت نيوز — Original source
The US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday morning to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, before heading to Dublin later that same day to meet his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following the conclusion of Ukrainian-Russian talks in Abu Dhabi.
The two US envoys were greeted upon disembarking at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport by Kirill Dmitriev, the special representative of the Russian President, according to images obtained by AFP.
Dmitriev wrote on the X platform, “We welcome Steve and Jared in Moscow,” attaching a video showing their arrival at the airport.
Their motorcade left the airport at 5:00 a.m. GMT, according to Russian television.
For his part, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said upon his arrival in Dublin that there might be a “window of opportunity” to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II before 2027.
He added, “The important thing is that the Americans went to Putin with specific details. I strongly hope they come to Dublin with specific details as well,” noting that despite his continued skepticism, “there is hope.”
The Ukrainian president also welcomed what he described as a “change in tone” from the United States regarding the possibility of involving Europe in Washington-mediated talks, stating that “the American side is approaching the matter more positively.”
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the negotiations held in the UAE demonstrated that the United States, Ukraine, and Europe are “fully aligned and united.”
During these two days of direct discussions—the first in over eight months—the two sides agreed to carry out a new large-scale prisoner exchange, while disagreeing on the role Europe should play in continuing the negotiations.
Although little concrete substance emerged from these talks aimed at finding a way out of a war that has lasted more than four years, the parties spoke of progress and confirmed that discussions would continue.
Speaking on Russian television after the meeting, Kremlin delegation head and nationalist historian Vladimir Medinsky stated that the “main goal” of the negotiations is to establish a “security system” in Europe that would serve as a “new, modern Yalta and Potsdam,” referencing the 1945 conferences between Western leaders and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to establish post-World War II security arrangements in Europe.
In late October, Zelenskyy commented on the possibility of a meeting between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping, opposing a “Yalta 2, 3, or 4” that would include a redistribution of spheres of influence among Washington, Moscow, and Beijing.
To maintain the momentum achieved in recent days, Jared Kushner announced that he would meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow, alongside Steve Witkoff, to “review what was discussed” in Abu Dhabi and “attempt to make further progress,” before heading to Dublin to continue discussions with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
On the Russian side, Vladimir Medinsky stated that the “discussion” would continue, later confirming on Russian television that Moscow would not sign any agreement unless on its own terms, and that he personally did not see possibilities for land swaps.
Zelenskyy and the United States had called on Europe to choose who would represent it in the talks, but European officials said they did not expect leaders to make decisions regarding the appointment of a single envoy for any potential talks with Russia.
Two days after talks, Ukraine and Russia agreed on a prisoner exchange that will be “the largest” since the start of the war, according to Kushnir, although neither side has disclosed the number of detainees to be released.
