Putin meets Trump envoys in Moscow push to restart Ukraine peace talks

The meeting between Putin and the American representatives came amid an escalation in aerial attacks by both Russia and Ukraine, though Moscow and Kyiv agreed to pause strikes on each other's capitals during the diplomatic engagement. The envoys' visit represents a significant step in the Trump administration's efforts to broker a settlement to the prolonged conflict that has reshaped geopolitics across Eastern Europe and beyond.

The discussion in Moscow follows several months during which Washington's focus on Middle East tensions has reduced momentum in Ukraine peace efforts. Witkoff and Kushner, with the latter serving as the US President's son-in-law, previously visited the Russian capital in January for similar high-level negotiations with Putin at the Kremlin.

The diplomatic mission will expand on Sunday when both envoys travel to Kyiv, marking their first direct visit to Ukraine's capital as part of the peace process, according to Ukrainian officials. The sequential engagement with both Moscow and Kyiv signals an attempt to bridge the positions of the two warring parties through sustained diplomatic channels.

The coordinated pause in attacks on capital cities underscores the significance of the current negotiating phase, suggesting both sides may be willing to demonstrate flexibility in pursuit of a settlement framework. However, the depth of remaining disagreements on core issues such as territorial control and security guarantees remains unclear.