Senior Trump advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner clocked five hours inside the Kremlin on Tuesday, engaging Russian President Vladimir Putin in a marathon session aimed at securing backing for a revamped U.S. peace framework for Ukraine.
The high-stakes sit-down marks a significant escalation in diplomatic efforts, representing the first in-person dialogue between Putin and the Trump team since the Alaska summit in August. While this was Witkoff’s sixth meeting with the Russian leader, it was the first time Kushner joined the proceedings directly.
According to the Kremlin, the mood was professional but firm. Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, described the talks as “useful, constructive and meaningful” in remarks to reporters shortly after the meeting broke up.
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However, the diplomatic niceties barely concealed the deep divides remaining on the ground; Ushakov noted that while the U.S. side brought new proposals regarding territorial control, no compromise has been struck.
Putin has publicly maintained a hardline stance, insisting Russia will secure control over the entire Donbas region—whether through talks or continued military force.
The envoys arrived in Moscow carrying a revised version of the U.S. peace plan, which has evolved significantly over two weeks of intense shuttle diplomacy.
Initially a 28-point proposal seen by Kyiv as heavily tilted in Moscow’s favor, the plan has been whittled down to 19 points during recent negotiations with Ukrainian officials. As the terms have become more palatable to Ukraine, analysts suggest they are becoming essentially harder for the Kremlin to swallow.
Details of Tuesday’s conversation remain tightly held. “We agreed with our American colleagues not to disclose the substance of the negotiations that took place. The discussion was confidential,” Ushakov stated, adding that Putin had entrusted the envoys with specific messages to convey back to President Trump.
The diplomatic tour is far from over. Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to travel immediately to Europe to brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday.
Zelenskyy confirmed Tuesday that he expects to speak with the American team right after their departure from Moscow.
While Putin has previously signaled that Trump’s initiative could serve as a basis for negotiations, Tuesday’s meeting underscores that Russia’s core demands for peace remain largely unchanged.
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