Russian President Vladimir Putin met with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on Thursday, November 12, following two days of US-mediated peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, as diplomatic efforts to end the nearly five-year war continued.
The meeting, reported by Russian media outlets, including the state-run Tass news agency, brought together senior Russian officials and the two American representatives involved in Washington’s efforts to broker a settlement between Moscow and Kyiv.
Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow earlier Thursday after participating in the latest round of negotiations in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and Wednesday. The discussions with Putin were expected to address the progress made in Abu Dhabi, outstanding disagreements between the two sides and possible next steps in the diplomatic process.
According to Russian media reports, Putin’s presidential aides Yury Ushakov and Vladimir Medinsky participated in the Moscow meeting, alongside Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Medinsky headed the Russian delegation during the Abu Dhabi negotiations.
The Moscow meeting followed the conclusion of the latest round of US-mediated Russia-Ukraine discussions on Wednesday. Although the negotiations did not produce a comprehensive agreement to end the war, they resulted in progress on a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv.
Details of the proposed exchange, including the number of prisoners involved and the timing of their release, had not been officially confirmed following the Abu Dhabi discussions.
Speaking to reporters after the negotiations, Kushner said he and Witkoff would travel to Moscow on Thursday to meet Putin. He indicated that the discussions would focus partly on finalizing the numbers for the planned prisoner exchange.
“We’re going to finalize the numbers,” Kushner said, referring to the prisoner-swap arrangements.
The issue of Europe’s possible participation in the peace process was also expected to feature in the discussions. Kushner said the US representatives would discuss whether European countries could be included in subsequent negotiations.
European involvement remains a sensitive issue in the diplomatic process. Moscow has so far opposed Europe’s participation in the talks, reflecting broader disagreements over the role European governments should play in shaping a potential settlement.
European countries have consistently supported Ukraine politically, financially and militarily since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Several European governments have also argued that any agreement concerning European security must take their interests and concerns into account.
Washington’s diplomatic initiative has sought to bring the two sides closer through direct negotiations and discussions involving senior representatives from the United States. However, major disagreements over territorial control, security guarantees and the future relationship between Ukraine and Western countries continue to complicate efforts to reach a lasting agreement.
Following their Moscow visit, Witkoff and Kushner were expected to travel to Ireland to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy arrived in Dublin on Wednesday, coinciding with the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi negotiations.
The planned meeting with the Ukrainian president would provide Washington with an opportunity to brief Kyiv on the discussions with Putin and assess Ukraine’s position on the issues raised during the Moscow talks.
The sequence of meetings in Abu Dhabi, Moscow and Ireland highlights Washington’s attempt to maintain diplomatic engagement with both sides while exploring areas where progress may be possible.
The prisoner exchange represents one of the few areas where Moscow and Kyiv have demonstrated an ability to reach practical agreements despite the continuing conflict. Previous exchanges have resulted in the return of military personnel and civilians held by both countries.
However, translating limited humanitarian agreements into a broader political settlement remains a major challenge. The central disagreements over territory, Ukraine’s security arrangements and the conditions for ending hostilities have yet to be resolved.
