MOSCOW / WASHINGTON — High-level negotiations between the United States and Russia aimed at ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine failed to produce a breakthrough on Tuesday, with the Kremlin declaring that no compromise had been reached on the central issue of territory.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and special envoy Steve Witkoff at the Kremlin in a meeting seen as one of the most consequential diplomatic efforts in months. The talks came as Washington presented a revised peace plan developed after pushback from Kyiv and its European allies.
Kremlin: No Deal on Territory
Following the five-hour meeting, Putin’s top foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said that although some American proposals were “acceptable,” major disagreements remained.
“So far we haven’t found a compromise on territories,” Ushakov said. “Some formulations cannot work for us, and discussions will continue.”
Putin has insisted that Kyiv must surrender territories Moscow claims as Russian land—demands Ukraine continues to reject outright.
Trump: “Not an Easy Situation”
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting, President Trump acknowledged the difficulty of reaching a deal:
“Our people are over in Russia right now to see if we can get it settled. Not an easy situation… What a mess.”
Later, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that the talks had made “some progress,” though he offered no details.
Zelensky: No Secret Deals, No Temporary Freeze
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that any settlement must not merely pause the conflict:
“There will be no simple solutions… Nothing can be decided without Ukraine,” he said, stressing the need for transparency and permanent peace.
Kyiv is particularly concerned that the US and Russia could broker a deal that forces Ukraine into territorial concessions.
Revised US Plan Presented
Kushner and Witkoff presented Putin with Washington’s updated four-part proposal, revised to ease concerns in Kyiv and Europe that the previous version leaned too heavily in Russia’s favor.
Ushakov said Russia appreciated some aspects of the revised plan but rejected key parts, including:
- Any requirement that Russia relinquish occupied territories
- Any involvement of European monitoring forces in Ukraine
Russian Signals Ahead of Talks
Just hours before the meeting, Putin delivered a hawkish message, boasting that Russia’s capture of Pokrovsk provided a “good foothold” to achieve the initial goals of the “special military operation.”
Ukraine faces mounting pressure:
- Rapid Russian advances in eastern regions
- Escalating missile and drone attacks targeting infrastructure
- Domestic political turmoil, including the resignation of Zelensky’s chief negotiator amid graft allegations
Putin also warned Europe against escalating, saying:
“We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now.”
Growing European Anxiety
European governments fear Washington and Moscow may negotiate independently, potentially sidelining Kyiv or pushing for concessions Ukraine considers unacceptable.
Recent leaks have added to that unease. Bloomberg reported a recording suggesting Witkoff coached Russian officials on how Putin should communicate with Trump before earlier negotiations.
This meeting marked Kushner’s first direct involvement in the Ukraine peace talks, though Witkoff has met Putin several times before and previously helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
