A meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner with Russian President Vladimir Putin took place in Moscow on March 15, 2024. This five-hour discussion aimed to address ongoing tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine, yet a senior aide to Putin stated that there remains “much work to be done” to resolve the conflict.
Following the meeting, Yuri Ushakov, a senior official in the Russian government, described the talks as “constructive, very useful and substantive.” However, he acknowledged that no agreement was reached regarding critical territorial disputes in Ukraine. Ushakov emphasized, “The territorial issue, naturally, is the most important for us, and for the Americans too. A compromise option has not yet been found, but some American developments look more or less acceptable, but they need to be discussed.”
The discussions in Moscow followed a series of meetings between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Florida over the preceding weekend. Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, characterized those conversations as “another very productive session,” highlighting the complexity of the negotiations. President Trump expressed optimism after the weekend talks, stating, “I think that there’s a good chance we can make a deal.”
Ushakov noted that the Russian side received four additional documents related to a previous 28-point plan presented by the Trump administration. Although the contents of these documents were not disclosed, Ushakov confirmed that both sides agreed to keep specific details of the negotiations confidential. No direct discussions between Putin and Trump are currently scheduled; however, Ushakov indicated that Putin instructed Kushner and Witkoff to convey “important political signals” to the U.S. President.
In the backdrop of these diplomatic efforts, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during a press conference that the peace proposal had been revised to a 20-point plan following discussions in Geneva and Florida. He stated that Ukraine would “wait for signals from the American delegation after its meetings in Russia.” Zelenskyy expressed his readiness to meet with Trump, contingent on the outcomes of the discussions.
Trump’s original peace proposal faced criticism for being overly favorable to Russia, particularly a provision suggesting that Ukraine should cede territory in Donetsk. Trump claimed that the Russians were making significant concessions, asserting, “They stop fighting, and they don’t take any more land.”
Despite hopeful statements from U.S. officials, Moscow has urged caution regarding claims of a nearing peace deal. According to a U.S. official, Ukraine had tentatively agreed to a peace deal, but Russian officials deemed it “premature” to suggest that an agreement was imminent.
As the situation develops, both sides continue to navigate a complex landscape of negotiations, with many variables still in play. The ongoing discussions underscore the urgency for a resolution to the conflict, yet the path forward remains fraught with challenges and differing perspectives.
