Direct Talks Shift as Trump Envoy Meets Putin Kremlin

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump issued public comments Wednesday regarding Tuesday’s “very good” meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin held in Moscow. The presence of Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin was noted by administration officials, though no direct engagement or resulting agreement involving Ukraine itself occurred during this session.

Administration sources indicated that while the approach offered a risk-free option, its potential rewards were significant enough to warrant this bold diplomatic strategy away from conventional channels. European partners have remained cautious about terms that could fundamentally alter the current conflict reality for the Ukrainian side.

The immediate meeting between Witkoff and Kushner with Putin took place at the Kremlin facility itself, representing perhaps the most direct public interaction in recent attempts to reach a peace resolution regarding Russian military interests in Eastern Europe.

Rustem Umerov received preliminary information via phone connection originating from Moscow after the encounter. A subsequent follow-up negotiation point involving the same individuals was expected later this week, with plans for further talks set within Miami location parameters previously established as part of earlier diplomatic engagements between relevant parties.

This current effort stems directly from private discussions initiated in October, continuing a pattern of behind-the-scenes diplomatic work aimed at achieving resolution without traditional input from long-standing foreign policy experts or external international observers present during the formulation stage.