Russian President Vladimir Putin recently met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son‑in‑law of former President Donald Trump, at the Kremlin. The meeting is part of the Trump administration’s effort to broker a peace deal in the four‑year‑old Ukraine conflict. Neither side disclosed details of the discussion, but Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign‑policy adviser, described it as “very useful, constructive, and highly substantive,” noting that it lasted five hours and allowed an in‑depth look at prospects for joint efforts toward a long‑term peaceful resolution.
The talks follow recent discussions between U.S. officials and a Ukrainian delegation in Florida, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio called “productive,” though he added that more work is needed to achieve a settlement. A U.S.–backed peace plan released last month drew criticism for appearing biased toward Moscow, as it incorporated core Kremlin demands such as Ukraine ceding the Donbas region to Russia and renouncing its bid to join NATO.
In a related development, the Kremlin released a video it claims shows Russian troops waving a flag in the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. The footage has not been verified, and Ukrainian officials have not commented. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that fighting continues in the area. Pokrovsk, a strategic point along the eastern front line in the “fortress belt” of Donetsk, is crucial to Ukraine’s regional defense.
The meeting between Putin and the U.S. envoys signals a renewed push for a peaceful solution, even as the U.S.–backed plan faces skepticism. The situation in Ukraine remains volatile, with ongoing combat and a humanitarian crisis, while the international community watches closely, hoping for a resolution.
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