Witkoff and Kushner may visit Moscow and Kyiv after talks in Abu Dhabi - media
Kyiv • UNN
After meetings in Abu Dhabi, U.S. special envoys may hold direct talks with Putin and Zelenskyy.
After meetings in Abu Dhabi, U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner may visit Moscow and Kyiv for direct talks with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Axios reported this, citing a U.S. official, according to UNN.
Details
The publication notes that White House representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have spent several weeks working to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to resume negotiations. U.S. President Donald Trump and his team hope that Putin will be more inclined to compromise after the United States lifted sanctions on the sale of Russian diesel fuel and took other measures that Moscow viewed favorably.
"The relationships we have built with Putin will play a key role in these negotiations," the U.S. official said.
According to the U.S. representative, after the meetings in Abu Dhabi, Witkoff and Kushner may visit Moscow and Kyiv for direct talks with Putin and Zelenskyy.
But there is a caveat: the publication emphasizes that the parties' positions remain very far apart, particularly on the issue of possible territorial concessions by Ukraine. The intensification of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, as well as Putin's refusal to agree to a ceasefire, cast doubt on the prospects of achieving significant progress.
U.S. officials said that over the past two weeks, Witkoff and Kushner had spoken by phone every day—and sometimes several times a day—with Russian and Ukrainian officials in preparation for the upcoming negotiations.
The U.S. officials who briefed journalists on Monday spoke positively—despite skepticism in Europe and Ukraine about Putin's willingness to end the war.
"There is a chance to make significant progress toward an agreement and try to overcome the differences," the U.S. representative said. "Getting the parties back to the negotiating table was not easy, but as mediators, we see encouraging signs."
The official added that Witkoff and Kushner seek to use these talks to "clearly outline" the decisions that Putin and Zelenskyy will have to make.
We would add
The publication notes that publicly, neither side has changed its position. Russia demands control over the entire Donbas, while Ukraine insists on demarcating the territories along the current front line.
However, in private conversations, U.S. officials note that in recent weeks both sides have "shown some flexibility" on the territorial issue.
According to them, reaching an agreement on the territories is impossible without agreeing on security guarantees.