Putin meets U.S. envoys in Moscow as Ukraine peace push stalls

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday. The talks aimed to revive a stalled effort to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The meeting came after months of deadlock in negotiations. Witkoff and Kushner, both senior representatives of U.S. President Donald Trump, arrived in Moscow for direct discussions with Putin. No details of the talks were released. The meeting took place at the Senate Palace of the Kremlin, according to official photos. The U.S. has pushed for a ceasefire, but previous rounds failed to produce a breakthrough. Ukraine has demanded a full Russian withdrawal, while Moscow has insisted on keeping occupied territories. Saturday’s meeting signals renewed high-level contact between Washington and Moscow. It remains unclear whether the envoys brought new proposals or conditions to the table. The war, now in its fourth year, has caused tens of thousands of casualties and displaced millions. Both sides continue to exchange drone and missile strikes along the front lines. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the outcome of the talks. The U.S. embassy in Moscow did not respond to requests for confirmation. Analysts say the presence of Kushner, who is Trump’s son-in-law and a close adviser, suggests Washington is seeking a personal, direct channel to Putin. Whether this meeting will lead to a renewed negotiation framework is not yet known.