U.S. Envoys Head to Moscow
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday. The talks aim to explore a potential peace deal that could end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
“[There’s been] lots of progress in the last six to eight weeks,” Witkoff told CNBC, expressing optimism about reaching an agreement. He added that he senses both sides want peace and that “it’s time.”
Trump and Zelenskyy Involvement
President Trump confirmed he invited Putin to join his newly proposed Board of Peace. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to meet Trump in Davos, Switzerland, during the World Economic Forum.
“I think Russia wants to make a deal, I think Ukraine wants to make a deal. We are relatively close,” Trump said at Davos.
Previous Talks and Ongoing Diplomacy
This won’t be Witkoff and Kushner’s first meeting with Putin. They previously met for five hours in December, though no major breakthroughs were reached. Talks in Davos with Russian and Ukrainian officials, as well as European leaders, were described as “very positive” and “constructive.”
Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, told Reuters that the dialogue was productive and that “more people understand the fairness of the Russian position.”
Last month, Witkoff and Kushner also spoke with Zelenskyy, who praised the “constructive approach” and “intensive work” of the U.S. envoys on X. He emphasized that the goal is to bring the war to an end with realistic and reliable agreements.
Four Years of Conflict
Feb. 24 will mark four years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Trump has at times blamed both Putin and Zelenskyy for prolonging the conflict. The Trump administration has been actively involved in brokering peace for over a year, though previous meetings with both leaders have yet to produce major breakthroughs.
