A meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Russian President Vladimir Putin lasted approximately five hours in Moscow on October 3, 2023. This discussion follows ongoing efforts by former President Donald Trump to facilitate a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. Despite the extended dialogue, a senior aide to Putin stated that there is still “much work to be done” regarding the situation in Ukraine.
Yuri Ushakov, a high-ranking official in Putin’s administration, characterized the talks as “constructive, very useful and substantive.” However, he noted that no compromise was reached on the critical territorial issues affecting Ukraine. “The territorial issue, naturally, is the most important for us, and for the Americans too,” Ushakov stated. He indicated that while some proposals presented were “acceptable,” further discussions are necessary.
The meeting came shortly after talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Florida over the weekend, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as “another very productive session.” Following these discussions, Kushner and Witkoff are expected to return to the U.S. to brief Trump on the meeting, subsequently re-engaging with Russian officials.
Ushakov revealed that the Russian side received four additional documents related to the original 28-point plan proposed by the Trump administration last month. He did not provide details on the contents of these documents but emphasized that both sides agreed to maintain confidentiality regarding the specifics of the discussions.
While no direct talks between Trump and Putin are currently scheduled, Ushakov mentioned that Putin had asked Kushner and Witkoff to convey “important political signals” back to Trump. The former president expressed optimism following the weekend’s discussions, suggesting that “there’s a good chance we can make a deal.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the evolving peace proposal, indicating that it has been refined to 20 points following discussions in Geneva and Florida. He expressed readiness to engage with the American delegation based on forthcoming signals from the meetings in Moscow. “I am ready to meet with President Trump. Everything depends on today’s talks,” Zelenskyy stated.
Putin has previously referred to the proposals as “a set of issues put forward for discussion” rather than a finalized agreement. Reports from a U.S. official indicated that Ukraine had “agreed to a peace deal,” although details are still being finalized. Trump noted that only a few points of disagreement remain, but Moscow cautioned that it is “premature” to claim the sides are close to an agreement.
As the diplomatic efforts continue, the situation in Ukraine remains fluid, with significant implications for both regional stability and international relations.
