© Public Domain
President Trump's friend, Steve Witkoff, together with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met on 2 December with President Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow.
Taking part in the meeting on the Russian side were Presidential Aide
Yury Ushakov and
Kirill Dmitriev. This marked Witkoff's sixth meeting with Putin in 2025 and Kushner's first in-person involvement in these talks.
Reportedly, the core agenda was an 'update' of the U.S. 'talking points' - one that is said to have incorporated further (unspecified) input from the Ukrainians and Europeans.
Despite the redrafting,
the talking points reflect a U.S. agenda that is little changed in essence from
earlier Witkoff talking points. It is, for example, again framed around a ceasefire (rather than a wider political agreement, as Russia demands); on de facto border recognition (rather than de jure recognition of the four oblasts now constitutionally incorporated into Russia).
Some possible Ukrainian concessions in the Donbas region seemingly were discussed too, as well as security guarantees for Ukraine that would be coordinated with European allies; and finally, 'restrictions' on Ukraine's military capabilities (somewhat laughably 'capped' at 800,000 men - rather than the 2022 Istanbul ball-park figure of some 50,000-60,000).
Putin reportedly agreed that some elements of the proposal might merit further discussion, but reiterated Russia's non-negotiable positions.
In sum, it seems that, as Marco Rubio has stated,
"[the U.S. continues] to test to see if the Russians are 'interested in peace'. Their actions - not their words, their actions - will determine whether they're serious or not, and we [team Trump] intend to find that out sooner rather than later ...".Effectively, Witkoff was sent to Moscow 'to test yet again' (after another American escalatory episode, with four ATACM long-range missiles fired 'deep into Russia' and the imposition of more oil sanctions) whether Putin now was willing to do a 'deal' that Trump could present as an 'American achievement'.
Comment: Brave move...long overdue...impeccable timing. Many will cast dispersions, but there is wisdom in the making...should Europe wake from its Ukraine stupor.