Putin, Wetekoff, and Kushner: Ready to Continue Working with Washington to Resolve the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict
Moscow halted strikes on Kyiv for three days to ensure the safety of the negotiation process and mediators
Russian President Vladimir Putin received, on Saturday, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff, and American businessman and investor Jared Kushner, to discuss efforts to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Putin affirmed Moscow’s readiness to continue working with the US side, emphasizing the importance of trust and the quality of mediation in the negotiation process.
The Russian presidency stated in a press release that Putin described the situation to be discussed during the talks as “not simple,” expressing appreciation for Trump’s efforts to contribute to resolving the conflict, and asked Witkoff to convey his best wishes and words of gratitude to the US President.
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The statement added that Putin confirmed the Russian side’s satisfaction with working with the US delegation, noting that the level of trust in this process is “very high,” and pointing out that Witkoff intends to travel to Kyiv after Moscow, adding that such communications are “always beneficial,” especially in light of reliable mediation and trust between the parties involved.
For his part, Witkoff conveyed Trump’s best wishes to Putin and expressed his gratitude to the Russian President for receiving the US delegation, noting that the time he spent in negotiations with Russian officials would remain a solidified experience in his memory.
Witkoff also conveyed to Putin the thanks of the family of American citizen Robert “Bob” Gillman, who had been detained in Russia for more than four years before his release and return to the United States, for the assistance in securing his freedom. Putin clarified that Trump had submitted the request for his release.
Witkoff expressed his gratitude to Russia for agreeing to a three-day ceasefire, based on not launching strikes on Kyiv or Moscow, which allows the US delegation to conduct its movements and negotiations during this period safely.
Putin clarified that the request to halt strikes on Kyiv reached Moscow through official channels, including intelligence agencies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirming that he issued the necessary order and that strikes on Kyiv ceased as of midnight yesterday.
He stated that the Ukrainian side had significantly reduced, by about ten times, the number of attacks on Russian territory, including Moscow.
Putin added that Ukrainian authorities had called for a broader ceasefire for three days, but Russia had not agreed to this arrangement with them. He affirmed, however, that Moscow would do its utmost to ensure the safety of the negotiation process and the mediators involved, including Witkoff and anyone accompanying him.
The Russian side in the talks includes Presidential Assistant Yuri Ushakov, and the President’s Special Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries and CEO of the Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev, while the US side is represented by Jared Kushner.
The visit comes within the framework of a new US diplomatic move to revive efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow today to hold talks with Russian officials before heading to Kyiv, according to TASS news agency.
