Witkoff and Kushner Hold Talks with Putin in the Kremlin: What Was Discussed and What's Next

Chronology of the Visit: From Vnukovo to the Working Office

US Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport early in the morning on November 12. At the aircraft stairs, the American delegation was met by Kirill Dmitriev, Director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, who published footage of the meeting on the social network X. At 12:02 Moscow time, Russian media reported the arrival of the American motorcade at the Kremlin. Prior to the main meeting, Trump's envoys held a series of preliminary consultations: Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov visited the Four Seasons hotel, where the guests were staying, for 'preliminary negotiations,' and subsequently Witkoff and Kushner held a separate conversation with Dmitriev directly in the Kremlin. The working meeting with Vladimir Putin began at 14:07 Kyiv time—more than two hours after the actual arrival of the Americans at the Russian head of state's residence. Alongside Putin, Dmitriev, and Ushakov, the Russian delegation included Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian negotiating group in Abu Dhabi.

Humanitarian Track and 'Special Gratitude' to Melania Trump

According to the Russian agency Interfax, Vladimir Putin noted progress on the humanitarian track during the meeting and asked Witkoff and Kushner to convey gratitude to Donald Trump for organizing contacts between Russia and Ukraine. Separately, the Russian leader expressed 'special gratitude' to US First Lady Melania Trump for resolving the humanitarian issue around Oleshky, a settlement that had found itself under blockade. The American envoys themselves also indicated a positive mood upon arriving in Moscow: Witkoff stated that after the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, 'peace has gotten closer.' According to Presidential Aide Ushakov, Putin intended to discuss 'all issues' related to achieving a peaceful settlement in Ukraine during the meeting, while Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov clarified that the Russian leader would convey Moscow's position to the American negotiators.

The Abu Dhabi Context: Strict Directives and Prisoner Swap

The talks in Moscow were a logical continuation of the trilateral consultations between Ukraine, the US, and Russia, which took place in Abu Dhabi on November 10–11. These were the first meetings in such a format since February 2026. David Arakhamia, head of the Servant of the People faction and a member of the Ukrainian delegation, described the talks as 'tough,' explaining that the Russian side brought strict directives, making it difficult to soften the discussion. According to RBK-Ukraine sources, the Russian delegation refused to discuss a ceasefire, territorial issues, energy, and Black Sea security with the Ukrainian side; the parties did not reach a substantive discussion of the territorial agenda. At the same time, following two days in Abu Dhabi, an agreement was reached on a large-scale prisoner of war exchange: Volodymyr Zelenskyy pointed to a potential format of '1000 for 1000' or '1500 for 1500,' while specific parameters, according to Vladimir Medinsky, are still being coordinated. The Russian side insisted on returning to its proposals regarding the so-called security guarantees from December 2021, when Moscow demanded, in particular, an end to NATO expansion and limits on the North Atlantic Alliance's military cooperation with Ukraine.

Unexpected Assessment of NATO's Presence

Against the backdrop of the Kremlin's previous consistent negative stance regarding the participation of European countries at the negotiating table, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov made an unexpected statement: the presence of Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Alexus Grynkewich in Abu Dhabi, according to him, 'added professionalism to the discussion of security issues in Europe.' This comment marked a noticeable shift in the rhetoric of the Russian foreign policy department and may indicate that Moscow does not rule out a certain role for European structures in the settlement process, although it formally continues to insist on a bilateral or trilateral format without direct EU participation.

Next Step: Dublin and Kyiv's Reaction

According to Axios, during the meeting with Putin, Witkoff and Kushner will voice a US request: Russia must submit new proposals for a potential European security agreement, including steps by Moscow aimed at reducing tensions on the continent. Jared Kushner previously announced that the American side wants to discuss what was said in Abu Dhabi and 'try to make more progress on some of the issues discussed,' noting that the envoys see 'some prospects and opportunities.' After completing the talks in the Kremlin, Witkoff and Kushner plan to fly to Dublin, where they will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian leader stated that he expects to receive the Russian side's reaction to the issues raised during the Abu Dhabi session from the American envoys on the evening of November 12. Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in a comment to CNN, called the upcoming Moscow talks 'primary' and expressed confidence that after Abu Dhabi, one can expect 'cautious steps,' with Europe's joining the process constituting progress in itself.