Witkoff says US made substantive progress on Russia-Ukraine peace talks
- Steve Witkoff reports substantive progress in US-led Russia-Ukraine peace efforts
- Envoys met Putin in Moscow for over three hours and visited Kyiv with European advisers
- Movement noted toward scheduling additional trilateral talks between the three nations
- Three-day no-shoot policy expired; Russian missiles struck Kyiv Tuesday injuring six
*this image is generated using AI for illustrative purposes only.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that Washington achieved "substantive progress" toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war after envoys shuttled between Moscow and Kyiv. He highlighted movement toward scheduling additional trilateral talks.
Diplomatic shuttle
Witkoff and Jared Kushner, joined by National Security Council, State Department, and Treasury officials, met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The mission aimed to facilitate dialogue under President Donald Trump’s direction.
The Moscow meeting lasted more than three hours. In Kyiv, national security advisers from Britain, Germany, and France joined the delegations to collaborate on the path forward. This marked Witkoff and Kushner’s first official wartime visit to Kyiv.
Progress and next steps
Witkoff told reporters that the team heard "new ideas" in Moscow and described the Kyiv talks as substantive. On Monday, he confirmed via his official X account that progress included movement on scheduling additional trilateral talks. Trump had previously indicated the US possessed a "concrete proposal" for peace.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia did not rule out resuming trilateral talks but called discussion of dates or a venue premature. CIA Director John Ratcliffe had previously floated a Trump-Putin-Zelenskyy summit during an August visit to Moscow.
Military pause ends
Russia and Ukraine agreed to a three-day "no-shoot policy" ahead of the trip to enable discussions. Putin ordered a 72-hour halt on strikes against Kyiv, while Zelenskyy announced Ukraine would refrain from striking Moscow through Monday.
Fighting resumed shortly after the envoys departed Ukraine. Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv on Tuesday, injuring six people. The White House stated earlier that sides discussed "substantive plans for next steps," which it said it would announce in the coming weeks.
Key developments
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Meeting duration | More than three hours |
| Participants | Putin, Witkoff, Kushner, Zelenskyy |
| Outcome | Substantive progress; movement on trilateral talks |
| Military action | 72-hour pause ended; strikes resumed Tuesday |
| Sources | CBS News, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Reuters |
- Witkoff and Kushner are identified as US special representatives.
- A Reuters witness previously confirmed the motorcade carrying Witkoff, Kushner, and Dmitriev leaving the airport en route to Moscow.
- The strike pause was explicitly linked to the preparation for the American delegation's arrival.
How might the resumption of Russian strikes on Kyiv immediately after the diplomatic pause impact the trust required for the proposed trilateral talks?
What specific terms could constitute the 'concrete proposal' for peace that President Trump referenced, and how do they align with current Ukrainian security guarantees?
How will European allies, particularly Britain, Germany, and France, coordinate their positions with the US delegation to ensure a unified Western stance in upcoming negotiations?
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