New Delhi: A US diplomatic effort to push Russia and Ukraine towards a settlement gained momentum on Saturday as the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, met American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow. The meeting lasted more than three hours and came alongside temporary commitments by Moscow and Kyiv to avoid strikes on each other’s capitals.
The discussions were held against the backdrop of continued fighting and a widening gap between the two sides over the conditions for ending the war. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the American representatives brought several proposals concerning possible routes towards a settlement, although he did not disclose their details.
Ushakov said Putin presented Moscow’s assessment that Russian forces were making “real progress” on the battlefield. The Russian president also maintained that any eventual agreement would need to deal with what Moscow considers the underlying causes of the conflict.
The meeting was not limited to the war. According to Ushakov, the Russian and American sides also discussed economic matters and possible large-scale projects that could benefit both countries. He described the engagement as timely and useful.
Washington also characterized the talks positively. Witkoff and Kushner subsequently left Moscow and are expected in Kyiv on Sunday for talks with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Temporary restraint around Kyiv and Moscow
Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Putin had instructed the Russian military to stop strikes on Kyiv for three days from Saturday, linking the measure to the visit of the US delegation.
Zelenskyy announced a corresponding Ukrainian commitment from his side. He said Kyiv was prepared to refrain from attacks on Moscow through Monday and expected Russia to maintain the same approach towards Kyiv.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was also ready to observe a pause in airstrikes against cities connected with the negotiations. At the same time, he said Ukrainian military commanders had briefed him on the battlefield situation, threats in Ukrainian airspace and ongoing defensive operations.
The announcements follow a period of heavy long-range attacks. Russia has repeatedly struck Kyiv with missiles and drones over the past 10 days, with Friday’s attacks including the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service.
Ukraine has also stepped-up attacks inside Russia, striking refineries, oil terminals and warehouses belonging to online retailer Wildberries during the summer.
Territory remains the central obstacle
The diplomatic opening does not appear to have resolved the fundamental disagreement over territory.
According to media reports, Kremlin said Putin remained determined to secure the remaining part of the Donetsk region. Moscow believes progress towards that objective could be achieved by the end of the year and does not expect the frontline question to be settled before then.
That assessment contrasts with the view of Western military analysts, who consider such an outcome difficult because Russia’s territorial advances have been slow.
Kyiv has rejected surrendering territory it has defended at a heavy cost. Ukraine regards such demands as unacceptable and equivalent to capitulation.
Moscow has also shown little sign of changing its broader negotiating position. The Kremlin said on Friday that Putin’s earlier demands, including Ukraine giving up the entirety of four regions claimed by Russia and dropping its Nato membership ambitions remain unchanged.