US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks lasting more than three hours with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, where they traveled for contacts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said the US side had presented various ideas for a possible solution. Without providing details, Ushakov said the meeting had taken place at an appropriate time and had been highly beneficial for both sides.
Economic projects also discussed
Ushakov said the sides had discussed economic issues that could be considered between Russia and the United States, in addition to resolving the Ukraine crisis. Major projects that could provide mutual benefits were among the topics examined in detail during the meeting.
At the start of the meeting, Putin praised US President Donald Trump's efforts to end the war. He said Trump was continuing to seek a solution despite a difficult process and was working to help end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Russian president also said his country was making real progress on the ground and that he was confident it would achieve its goals. Putin stressed that all the root causes of the conflict also needed to be addressed.
Kyiv meeting expected
A White House official described the Moscow meeting as comprehensive and said the next steps would be announced in the coming weeks. Witkoff and Kushner left the city shortly after their Moscow visit on behalf of Trump.
The US representatives are expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday. While the Russian side said it would ensure the representatives' security, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had ordered the Russian army to halt attacks on Kyiv for three days because of the visit.
Differences between the sides' demands remain
During the 10 days before the contacts, Russia carried out nighttime and daytime missile and drone attacks on Kyiv. The headquarters of Ukraine's Security Service in Kyiv was also targeted on Friday.
Ukraine also carried out attacks on refineries, oil terminals and storage facilities in Russia during the summer. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was ready to refrain from attacks on Moscow until Monday.
Serious differences remain between Russia and Ukraine over how to end the war. Ukraine refuses to give up the territory it has defended at a heavy cost. The demands put forward by the Russian president two years ago also remain unchanged: Ukraine must withdraw from all four regions claimed by Russia and abandon its plans to join NATO.
