'Highly useful' but no breakthrough: What was discussed in Putin-US talks on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s three-hour meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow ended without any reported breakthrough on a Ukraine peace deal, even as the Kremlin described the talks as “highly useful” and said discussions would continue.Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the meeting, which lasted three hours and 10 minutes, was substantive, constructive and extremely frank and took place in a trusting atmosphere, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.What was discussed?The US envoys “outlined a number of ideas regarding possible avenues for a settlement”, Ushakov said. He did not disclose the details of those proposals, leaving unclear whether they addressed the most contentious issues between Moscow and Kyiv, including territory and the future security arrangements for Ukraine.Ushakov said Putin presented Moscow’s assessment of the war and stressed Russia’s battlefield gains.“In particular, note was taken of the real advances made by the Russian army within the combat zone; confidence was expressed in achieving the stated objectives, and the need to eliminate all root causes of the conflict was emphasised,” he said, according to ANI.Putin also reiterated Moscow’s willingness to pursue political and diplomatic solutions with Washington. The Kremlin has repeatedly said any settlement must address what it calls the “root causes” of the conflict.The discussions also moved beyond the war. “The talks went beyond a mere exchange of views on resolving the Ukrainian crisis. Economic issues and potential major, mutually beneficial Russian-American projects were discussed in some detail,” Ushakov said, according to Reuters.“Overall, one can say that the negotiations were timely and highly useful for both sides,” he added.Putin also praised US President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war.“Understanding that he is entering a difficult situation, he nevertheless does not stop his efforts to help bring about a settlement and to make his contribution to resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict,” Putin said in a televised remarks at the start of the talks..A White House official told Reuters the talks were “substantive” and that next steps would be announced in the coming weeks.The US envoys were due to travel to Kyiv on Sunday for talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Ushakov said they would convey Putin’s observations on prospects for a “durable peaceful settlement”, while Moscow and Washington would maintain further contact through the envoys.Despite the positive language from Moscow, the central disputes remain unresolved, leaving the next round of US contacts with Kyiv crucial to determining whether the latest diplomatic push can narrow the gap between the two sides.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.