U.S. envoys meet Putin in Moscow for renewed Ukraine peace talks

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Moscow on Thursday for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, part of a renewed diplomatic effort to advance a peace settlement in Ukraine. The visit follows two days of U.S.-led trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, where the parties reported progress on a prisoner-of-war exchange but said major issues, including territory, remained unresolved.

Witkoff told a reporter at a Moscow hotel that he hoped the talks would bring the conflict closer to peace. After the Kremlin meeting, the envoys are scheduled to fly to Dublin for discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who said a resolution could be possible by year-end depending on the United States' approach to Moscow.

President Donald Trump, who has urged the envoys to pursue a new peace push, said the conflict is nearing a "big beautiful agreement," though previous predictions have not materialised.

In Abu Dhabi, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators noted some progress, but Kyiv rejected Putin's demand that Ukraine surrender the entire Donbas region. Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky reiterated Moscow's claim to any territory where Russian soldiers have been present.

The European Union's role in future negotiations remains contested. While the Kremlin has said the EU should eventually be included, it has expressed doubts about the bloc's ability to present a unified proposal. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas accused Russia of feigning negotiations and continuing attacks on Kyiv.

U.S. mediators are focusing on post-war security guarantees and reconstruction, whereas Russia has signaled interest in a broader European security framework, including possible non-aggression pacts with NATO members. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that wider security talks should only proceed after a ceasefire, a condition Moscow has rejected, preferring a comprehensive settlement.