Putin, US Envoys Hold 'Highly Useful' Peace Talks — SkimNews
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- Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign-policy adviser, said the closed-door meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner was 'highly useful,' noting they 'outlined a number of ideas regarding possible avenues for a settlement' but declining to share details.
- Ushakov said the talks went beyond a mere exchange of views, with economic issues and 'potential major, mutually beneficial Russian-American projects' discussed 'in some detail' — signaling Moscow is seeking broader US normalization.
- Putin authorized a 72-hour pause on strikes against Kyiv to allow for the US envoys' safe travel, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
- Zelensky said after speaking with Witkoff and Kushner, Ukraine was 'ready to observe a ceasefire in airstrikes' in cities hosting negotiations, with the pause set to end Monday.
- Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Friday that the two envoys are 'bringing with them a proposal to end the war,' though he did not elaborate on the plan.
- The over-three-hour meeting marked the first time both envoys had traveled to Kyiv for negotiations, coming after the last US-facilitated talks in February preceded near-continuous Russian attacks on the city.
- Zelensky reported that ahead of the envoys' visit, two airports 300 miles east of Kyiv were hit by Russian airstrikes, killing four and injuring five.
Why it matters: The 72-hour strike pause against Kyiv is a concrete but fragile de-escalation step — the last US-facilitated meetings in February were followed by intensified Russian attacks. Moscow's addition of bilateral economic cooperation to the agenda signals it wants broader US normalization, not just a Ukraine settlement, while Trump is publicly staking the meeting on a 'proposal to end the war.'
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