US President Donald Trump's top negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as part of efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The talks lasted three hours behind closed doors, during which time Putin stated that he would explain Russia's perspective on the situation. According to Ukrainian President Zelensky, the US envoys will travel to Kyiv for further talks on Sunday. The key development is a halt to strikes on each other's capitals by both Ukraine and Russia for three days.
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- Published
US President Donald Trump's top negotiators have met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, as efforts to end the war in Ukraine gather pace.
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efforts → publish → pace
Footage released by the Kremlin showed Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner being greeted by Putin, who said the current situation "is not so easy".
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situation → release → Putin
He added Russia would explain "how we see the situation".
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we → add → situation
Witkoff thanked Putin for agreeing with Ukraine to halt strikes on each other's capitals for three days.
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Witkoff → thank → days
On Sunday the envoys will travel to Kyiv for more talks.
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envoys → travel → talks
On Friday, Trump said Witkoff and Kushner were "bringing with them a proposal to end the war".
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Witkoff → say → war
So far, efforts by the US and its allies to broker a peace deal have failed.
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efforts → broker → deal
At Saturday's talks in the Kremlin, Putin also said that "in any case, whatever happens, such contacts are undoubtedly always useful".
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contacts → say → case
He also thanked Trump for his peacemaking efforts.
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He → thank → efforts
He told the envoys that he was "comfortable" working with them, adding: "Of course on our side there is quite a high level of trust during this work."
The talks – which continued behind closed doors in Putin's official residence in the heart of the Russian capital – lasted for three hours, according to Russian state media.
Zelensky said earlier on Saturday that he had spoken to the envoys, who have "already begun working with the Russian side today".
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who → tell → side
"The plan for tomorrow's diplomatic engagements in Kyiv, involving the US team, has been approved.
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plan → involve → team
We are waiting for Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and are ready for a substantive conversation," he added.
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he → wait → conversation
"From now through the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes on Moscow, and we expect the Russians to do the same regarding Kyiv."
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Russians → refrain → Kyiv
Russian state media reported that Putin had ordered a halt to strikes on Kyiv for three days due to the US visit.
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Putin → report → visit
In televised remarks, Putin said Russia had not agreed to a ceasefire for the rest of Ukraine outside of the capital.
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Russia → televise → capital
The Russian president said he would "ensure the security of the negotiating process" and of the mediators.
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he → say → mediators
Kushner and Witkoff have visited Russia several times but the talks on Sunday would be the first in Ukraine.
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talks → visit → Ukraine
It is not clear how the US envoys will be travelling from Moscow to Kyiv.
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envoys → travel → Kyiv
Ukraine's airspace has been closed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
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Russia → close → February
Delegations from Ukraine have attended talks in the US over the past 18 months.
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Delegations → attend → months
Earlier on Saturday, Zelensky said Russia had fired "demonstrative" strikes on airports in Kyiv and Boryspil overnight ahead of his planned meeting with the US.
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Russia → say → US
Ukraine's president added: "Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the US side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine and land at Kyiv Airport or Boryspil Airport."
Zelensky said on Friday he would guarantee the safety of Russian airspace during the envoys' visit and called for Russia to do the same for Ukraine.
He also said an overnight Russian strike on a civilian building in the Dnipro region killed four people and injured five others.
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strike → add → others
Witkoff and Kushner's visit to Moscow comes just over a week after a rare visit to the Russian capital by the head of the CIA, John Ratcliffe.
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visit → come → CIA
There was no official comment from Washington or the Kremlin on what was discussed.
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what → be → Washington
Speaking last week, Trump described the meeting as "semi-routine".
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Trump → speak → routine
Last year, the US, Ukraine and Russia separately suggested that a deal to end the war was edging closer following a flurry of talks brokered by the Americans.
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deal → suggest → Americans
European allies also held talks in Paris but discussions ultimately ended without a breakthrough.
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discussions → hold → breakthrough
Key disagreements remain between the warring sides on issues such as territory and security guarantees for Ukraine.
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disagreements → remain → Ukraine
In recent months, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified their aerial attacks as fighting continues.
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fighting → intensify → attacks
Ukraine said it has struggled to repel ballistic missile attacks due to a lack of interceptor missiles, while Kyiv has focused its strikes on Russian economic infrastructure targets.
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Kyiv → say → targets
