By By Elizabeth Ugbo
Russian President Vladimir Putin met US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on Saturday as Washington renewed efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which has continued since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The talks took place at the Kremlin as Russia and Ukraine agreed to pause strikes on each other’s capitals for three days, while the United States pushed for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
Putin Holds Talks With US Envoys
Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, and Kushner arrived in Moscow earlier on Saturday.
The pair met Putin at the Kremlin for about three hours. They discussed possible steps toward ending the war.
Trump had earlier said the envoys were carrying a proposal aimed at ending the conflict.
Putin welcomed both representatives during a ceremony broadcast on Russian television.
He acknowledged the difficult nature of the situation. However, he also indicated Moscow’s willingness to continue discussions.
Kremlin Reports Progress in Talks
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov described the meeting as substantive and constructive.
He said the discussions produced several ideas for a possible peace settlement.
According to Ushakov, Putin told the envoys that Russia would achieve its military objectives.
He also stressed the need to address what Moscow calls the “root causes” of the war.
Russia remains confident about achieving its military goals in eastern Ukraine, Ushakov added.
Senior Russian official Kirill Dmitriev also described the visit as an important peacemaking effort.
Meanwhile, Witkoff and Kushner agreed to present Putin’s assessments during their meetings in Kyiv.
The two sides also agreed that Putin and Trump would maintain communication.
Putin Remains Open to Talks
Al Jazeera correspondent Yulia Shapovalova reported mixed signals from the Kremlin.
She said Putin remains publicly open to peace negotiations.
However, Moscow continues to reject major concessions on key issues.
Putin also argues that Ukraine’s recent drone attacks have complicated the diplomatic process.
Those attacks have targeted locations deep inside Russia, including economic and logistics facilities.
According to Shapovalova, Putin maintains that major differences remain unresolved.
He has also refused to negotiate with what he describes as “terrorists.”
US Envoys Head to Kyiv
The US representatives left Moscow on Saturday evening after their Kremlin meeting.
Russian news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti reported their departure.
The envoys are expected to continue their diplomatic mission in Kyiv on Sunday.
Shapovalova said Kremlin expectations appear less pessimistic this time.
Previous visits by Witkoff and Kushner produced little visible progress.
However, Putin believes Russia currently holds a military advantage on the battlefield.
That position could influence Moscow’s approach to any potential peace agreement.
Russia and Ukraine Agree to Limit Strikes
The diplomatic efforts also produced a temporary commitment involving both capitals.
The Kremlin said Russian forces would not strike Kyiv for three days.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the order.
He said the pause would begin at midnight on Saturday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later announced a similar commitment.
He said Ukraine would refrain from attacking Moscow through Monday.
Zelenskyy said he had spoken with the US envoys after their Moscow discussions.
He also confirmed that Kyiv would support the temporary pause.
Civilian Casualties Continue
The diplomatic efforts come amid continued violence across Russia and Ukraine.
The conflict has caused rising civilian casualties in recent months.
Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes killed at least seven people on Saturday.
Some of the attacks reportedly hit areas around Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Belgorod region.
Local authorities said the attack killed one person and injured another.
The latest casualties highlight the difficult conditions surrounding the peace efforts.
Putin Maintains Russia’s War Objectives
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Since then, Russian forces have occupied large parts of eastern Ukraine.
Putin has repeatedly said Moscow intends to capture the remaining areas it claims.
Kyiv, however, continues to reject Russia’s territorial demands.
Therefore, territorial control remains one of the biggest obstacles to a peace agreement.
The latest US diplomatic mission seeks to narrow those differences.
For now, both Washington and Moscow appear willing to keep discussions alive.
However, major disagreements remain over territory, security and the future of Ukraine.
