Russia and the United States failed to reach a compromise on a potential peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine after a five-hour meeting in the Kremlin between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoys representing President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.
Talks between Putin, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner extended past midnight in Moscow. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said afterward that while the discussions were constructive, “compromises have not yet been found.”
“There is still a lot of work to be done,” Ushakov told reporters, adding that some U.S. proposals were unacceptable to Moscow. Witkoff later briefed the U.S. embassy following the meeting.
Putin Rejects Parts of U.S. Proposal
Ushakov said Putin had reacted negatively to several of Washington’s draft ideas but noted that the conversation remained open. “Some American draft proposals look more or less acceptable, but they need to be discussed,” he said. “Some of the formulations that have been proposed to us are not suitable for us the work will continue.”
The two sides reportedly discussed what Moscow calls the “territorial problem”, a reference to Russia’s claims over Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. Ukraine continues to control about 5,000 square kilometres of the territory that Russia says it has annexed. Almost all countries still recognise Donbas as part of Ukraine.
Putin also sent “important signals and greetings” to Trump through his envoys, Ushakov said, though details were withheld. He added that no new meeting between Putin and Trump was planned.
Trump Seeks Elusive Breakthrough
President Trump has long called ending the Ukraine conflict one of his top foreign policy priorities, but he has also criticised both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for prolonging the fighting. “Our people are over in Russia right now to see if we can get it settled. Not an easy situation. What a mess,” Trump said earlier in Washington, citing estimated monthly casualties of 25,000 to 30,000.
Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer and long-time Trump associate, and Kushner began their Kremlin visit after walking across Red Square. They met Putin, Ushakov, and Russian sovereign wealth chief Kirill Dmitriev with the help of interpreters.
European Powers Voice Concern
European leaders have expressed unease over the U.S. peace push, fearing it could accommodate Russian demands. A leaked set of 28 American draft proposals in November sparked alarm in Kyiv and across Europe for appearing too favourable to Moscow.
In response, European states presented their own counter-framework. Subsequent talks in Geneva led to what Washington and Kyiv described as an “updated and refined peace framework.”
Speaking in Dublin, Zelenskiy said Ukraine welcomed genuine diplomatic efforts but warned against secret deals. “It is important that everything is fair and open, so that there are no games behind Ukraine’s back,” he said, expressing concern that Washington might lose focus on the peace process.
Moscow Maintains Aggressive Tone
Before the Kremlin meeting, Putin claimed Russia did not want war with Europe but issued a stark warning: if war began, it would “end so swiftly that there would be no one left to negotiate with.”
He also threatened to cut off Ukraine’s access to the sea following recent drone attacks on Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Putin’s comments proved “he is not ready to end the war.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 remains Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two, with no sign of a lasting diplomatic breakthrough despite ongoing negotiations.
(with inputs from Reuters)
