MOSCOW, — Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks at the Kremlin with U.S. special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Saturday, opening a new diplomatic effort by Washington to revive negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

The meeting came after U.S. President Donald Trump said the two envoys were travelling with a proposal intended to bring the conflict to an end. The initiative is unfolding through a rare Moscow-to-Kyiv diplomatic sequence, with the U.S. delegation expected to continue to Ukraine for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Kremlin Meeting Marks Fresh Diplomatic Push

Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow earlier Saturday and were met by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev before proceeding to talks with Putin.

During the Kremlin meeting, Putin described continued contacts between Moscow and Washington as useful and said Russia found it convenient to work with the two American representatives. Witkoff conveyed Trump’s greetings to the Russian president and thanked Moscow for maintaining a temporary halt in attacks during the delegation’s diplomatic activities.

The discussions are taking place against the backdrop of a conflict that has continued despite repeated diplomatic initiatives. The latest U.S. effort is therefore being watched closely for signs that negotiations could move beyond previous deadlocks.

Temporary Pause in Attacks Creates Diplomatic Window

A limited pause in attacks around the two capitals has accompanied the envoys’ mission. Putin ordered a three-day suspension of Russian strikes against Kyiv, while Ukraine also indicated it would refrain from attacks affecting Moscow during the diplomatic visit.

The arrangement does not represent a broader ceasefire across the battlefield. Instead, it is designed to provide a temporary security window for the diplomatic movement between Russia and Ukraine.

The timing is significant because the diplomatic initiative has coincided with continued military activity elsewhere. Recent Russian and Ukrainian attacks have caused civilian casualties and damage, underscoring how fragile the current diplomatic opening remains.

From Moscow to Kyiv

Following their Moscow discussions, Witkoff and Kushner are expected to travel to Kyiv on Sunday to meet Zelenskyy. The planned visit would give the U.S. delegation an opportunity to present and discuss the peace initiative directly with the Ukrainian leadership after hearing Moscow’s position.

The Moscow-Kyiv sequence gives Washington an opportunity to compare the positions of both governments within the same diplomatic mission. However, the success of that approach will depend largely on whether the two sides are prepared to compromise on the fundamental issues that have prevented a settlement.

Major Obstacles Remain

Despite the renewed diplomatic activity, expectations for an immediate breakthrough remain uncertain.

Reports citing people close to the Kremlin have described Russian expectations for the visit as very low. Moscow continues to maintain demands that Kyiv has rejected, while Russia has shown little public indication that it is prepared to make major concessions.

That gap presents the central challenge for the U.S. initiative. Any agreement would have to address territorial disputes, security guarantees, Ukraine’s future relationship with Western institutions and arrangements for stopping the fighting in a way both governments could accept.

Washington Seeks to Restart Stalled Negotiations

Trump’s decision to dispatch Witkoff and Kushner reflects a renewed attempt by the U.S. administration to personally engage both sides. Trump said the envoys were carrying a concrete idea for peace, although the full details of the proposal have not been publicly disclosed.

Keeping the proposal largely private could allow negotiators greater flexibility, but it also means that its feasibility cannot yet be independently assessed in detail.

For now, the most significant development is the reopening of direct high-level contact. Whether the Kremlin meeting becomes the beginning of substantive negotiations or another temporary diplomatic episode will depend on what emerges from the subsequent discussions in Kyiv.

What Comes Next

The next stage will be closely watched after Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Ukraine. Their discussions with Zelenskyy could determine whether Washington’s proposal can bridge the sharply different positions of Moscow and Kyiv.

The temporary reduction in attacks provides a narrow opportunity for diplomacy, but the continued military confrontation demonstrates the risks surrounding it. For the peace initiative to gain lasting momentum, the temporary diplomatic pause would ultimately need to evolve into a broader and verifiable cessation of hostilities.