Moscow Mission: Witkoff and Kushner Ask Putin to Include Europe in Peace Talks

Envoys meet Putin in Moscow

Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Russia a day after facilitating peace discussions in Abu Dhabi. Russian and Ukrainian representatives spoke directly there for the first time in nine months.

Following their Kremlin meeting with Putin, the two U.S. envoys were due to travel to Dublin. Their planned meeting there was with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Europe’s role in negotiations

The envoys are seeking European involvement in talks about the war. Moscow, meanwhile, is pressing to broaden negotiations to address changes to Europe’s security arrangements. Russia has said it will not consider a cease-fire before its wider demands concerning Europe’s security structure are dealt with. The positions leave the immediate prospects for a halt in fighting uncertain.

War continues as diplomacy resumes

The Trump administration is pursuing a peace agreement even as Russia shows no sign of ending the war soon. The report said Moscow appears to be taking a harder position on some issues.

Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities have intensified ahead of a winter bombing campaign, exploiting Ukraine’s shortage of air defenses. Zelensky said Thursday that Ukrainian forces were again facing restrictions on Starshield, the military version of Starlink, and had sought information from the United States.