Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have completed a round of discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The visit follows two days of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi that sought to address the Ukraine conflict but concluded without reaching a breakthrough. Witkoff, speaking at Vnukovo Airport before departing, stated that progress was achieved earlier that day, noting that the trilateral process had been restarted and a subsequent meeting scheduled. I think it was made earlier today,” Witkoff told Frederik Pleitgen at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow just before the US envoys departed the country. “People didn’t think that we were going to restart trilateral. According to the trips follow two days of talks in the UAE capital between Russian, Ukrainian and American negotiators – the first of their kind since February – which Kyiv, Made progress on some issues, but did not result in a clear resolution. The latest push for peace has not afforded Ukraine respite from the daily barrage of Russian attacks, despite the flurry of diplomacy.
Witkoff suggested that European representatives would be invited to future discussions, citing their importance as partners in the process. Jared Kushner, who serves as a diplomatic envoy despite lacking an official role in the current US administration, emphasized that the meetings provided comprehensive discussions intended to guide future multilateral efforts. He added that the European desire for a long-term peace following the end of the conflict is a significant factor in these deliberations. And it’s important for them to be involved,” he told reporters, witkoff also appeared to say that European representatives would join the next talks about the Ukraine conflict. “They’re our partners. “I think overall, (we’ve had) very fulsome and detailed discussions on all the topics, which I think will inform hopefully the next multilateral discussions,” Kushner added. “I think working on European security is definitely a great, important step for Europe. And frankly, people who care about Europeans and their lives, of course, want European security to be strong,” he told.
However, Russian foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov offered a more cautious perspective, confirming the continuation of trilateral talks while appearing to downplay the involvement of European participants. Saying their involvement was not a “promising approach.”, russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the presence of European officials in the UAE city earlier this week.
Ushakov stated that Russia continues to monitor the actions of these nations, suggesting that their practical decisions currently indicate a preference for continuing the war rather than pursuing peace. Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev mentioned that while there is an emerging consensus regarding the importance of European security, it remains a point of contention.
The diplomatic push faces significant challenges, as recent reports indicate that previous objections from Moscow regarding the participation of European officials in the Abu Dhabi sessions persist. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that no direct contacts between Russian and European representatives occurred during the UAE meetings. Despite the diplomatic activity, the conflict remains intense, with the Ukrainian Air Force reporting that Russia launched ballistic missiles and drones overnight into Thursday. For us, this primarily means a significant complication in intercepting Russian jet-powered drones.”.
Local authorities in Kyiv confirmed that at least one person was killed and several others injured during a drone strike on Thursday morning. Complicating the situation, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported renewed and significant disruptions to the Starshield satellite system, which is vital for Ukrainian military operations. Zelensky characterized these as systematic speed restrictions rather than random errors, noting that they hindered the military’s ability to intercept Russian drones and contributed to more accurate strikes against Ukrainian targets. “Unfortunately, this is helping the Russians kill more Ukrainians and carry out more accurate strikes against Ukraine,” he posted on X. Has reached out to the White House and the Pentagon. Svitlana Vlasova and Anna Chernova contributed reporting.
SpaceX, the owner of Starshield, maintained that there have been no service changes. This follows similar allegations in October when Ukraine reported speed limits on terminals, an issue which triggered conflicting statements from Musk and the Trump administration. Kushner and Witkoff are now expected to travel to Dublin, where Zelensky is attending the European Political Community summit, to provide an update on the Moscow discussions and review potential proposals for future negotiations.
