US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, Nov. 12, according to Politico.
The two Trump envoys flew to Moscow straight after this week’s three-way talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Abu Dhabi.
The story in 7 points
- Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Nov. 12.
- The meeting followed two days of Russia–Ukraine–US talks in Abu Dhabi.
- According to Politico, the talks covered a proposed prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia.
- The envoys also pushed for Europe to have a seat at the negotiating table.
- Witkoff described the meeting as a sign that progress is being made.
- No peace deal or agreement has been announced.
- Russia has previously objected to European involvement in the talks.
The Moscow visit was the latest step in the Trump administration’s renewed push to end the war in Ukraine. In Abu Dhabi earlier in the week, the US mediated nearly four hours of talks focused on security guarantees, the first such meeting since February.
Why it matters
Direct meetings with Putin are a sign that Washington is trying to move both sides toward a deal. A prisoner exchange could be an early, concrete result, but the biggest disagreements over territory and Ukraine’s security are still unresolved.
Sources: Politico via Yahoo News, Reuters via The Jerusalem Post