Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman explained that the Americans were in a rush to secure an agreement to end the war in Ukraine. Over the weekend, Putin met with President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
“The situation is unfolding at a high pace. The Americans are making haste as mediators; they are in a hurry, and it’s understandable,” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained to reporters after the summit.
Diplomatic engagement to end the war in Ukraine picked up over the past week. Trump met with Ukrainian President Zelensky on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Then, the US mediated discussions between Ukrainian and Russian officials in the UAE. The trilateral negotiations were followed by the meeting between Putin, Witkoff, and Kushner in Moscow.
Zelensky described the talks in the UAE as “constructive.” “A lot was discussed, and it is important that the conversations were constructive,” he wrote on X, adding that future trilateral negotiations are possible.
Witkoff has claimed the two sides are close to reaching a deal to end the war in Ukraine. However, public statements from Moscow and Kiev suggest the two are far apart on critical issues such as territory, Ukrainian neutrality, and war reparations.
While talks are ongoing, the war continues to rage. Russian missiles and drones have battered Ukrainian cities, leaving many without power. Additionally, Russian forces continue to make slow progress seizing territory across the front lines.
