Putin war talks: US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow today. The Kremlin said Moscow is open to peace talks, but its war goals must be achieved, raising doubts about Russia’s readiness to end the conflict.
- Kyiv shores up support: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with the leaders of allies Britain and France, along with Witkoff, yesterday ahead of the Moscow talks. Zelensky is in Dublin today, where he will discuss trade and security with Irish leaders.
- On the ground: Russia claims to have captured Pokrovsk, a key eastern Ukrainian city, though Ukraine dismissed what it said were “loud statements” by Moscow aimed at influencing negotiations. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is set to host Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy, in Moscow on Tuesday, as the United States pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine.
- Mr. Witkoff is expected to present Mr. Putin with a U.S.-backed peace proposal that was revised by American officials after recent negotiations with Ukrainian diplomats. The initial version of the plan that emerged last month was seen by Ukraine and its European allies as echoing the maximalist demands Russia has made since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
- Mr. Witkoff’s visit to Moscow, his sixth since January, is to take place two days after American and Ukrainian delegations met in Miami to discuss the details of the potential peace plan, parts of which Ukraine has sought to soften. Both sides called those talks constructive but said more work was needed, without detailing the unresolved issues.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, seeking support from European allies, met in Paris on Monday with President Emmanuel Macron of France. Mr. Zelensky is to travel to Ireland for meetings on Tuesday. his sixth since January, is to take place two days after American and Ukrainian delegations met in Miami to discuss the details of the potential peace plan, parts of which Ukraine has sought to soften. Both sides called those talks constructive but said more work was needed, without detailing the unresolved issues.
- Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, told journalists on Tuesday that Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner would participate in the talks for the American side, noting that the negotiations would go on “as long as necessary.” The meeting was expected to take place early evening Tuesday, Moscow time. Mr. Kushner does not have a formal role in the Trump administration, but played a role in brokering the cease-fire in Gaza..
