Steve Witkoff, Jared Kusher meet with Putin at Kremlin for Ukraine peace talks

US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Thursday for peace talks in the Ukraine war. This comes after the two brokered peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi earlier in the week.

In their opening remarks, Kushner told Putin that Europe wants a role in future negotiations, while Witkoff praised a prisoner exchange that was agreed upon during the Abu Dhabi meeting, per The Guardian.

Putin told the envoys that Russia is proposing a joint Russian-Ukrainian humanitarian mission in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka, which he said could be modelled on a similar initiative that took place in the Russian-controlled town of Oleshky that allowed residents to leave and brought in aid for those who chose to remain.

Putin reaffirmed Russia’s opposition to allowing Western troops into Ukraine as part of post-war peacekeeping solutions, which Ukraine has demanded. Putin told the envoys he would see foreign troops deployed in Ukraine as a “legitimate target,” and that their deployment would mean “the continuation of war.”

Witkoff and Kushner had come from meeting with delegations in Abu Dhabi earlier in the week. Witkoff said of the meeting, “Discussions took place collaboratively between the United States, Ukraine, and European partners, reflecting their shared objectives, ongoing consultations, and commitment to Euro-Atlantic security. Participants emphasized that any future arrangements must respect sovereignty, territorial integrity, independent decision-making, and provide credible security guarantees for Ukraine.”

He said the discussion “covered how to build upon existing European security institutions and agreements following the conclusion of the war in Ukraine. Participants further recognized that addressing post-war security concerns and reducing the risk of conflict are essential. They discussed how to ensure strong mechanisms for managing risk and avoiding dangerous escalation. The participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to a strong post-war European security architecture and arrangements, and were clear that a strong NATO will remain central to Euro-Atlantic collective defense.”