On 5 September, Vladimir Putin held talks lasting more than three hours at the Kremlin with US President’s special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The main topic was Russia’s war against Ukraine and possible options for resolving it; the parties also touched upon economic relations. No announcement was made regarding any agreed decision or breakthrough following the meeting.
Briefly about the main points
- The meeting at the Kremlin lasted over three hours.
- Moscow has set out its assessment of the situation on the front line to the Americans.
- The American delegation put forward ideas for a settlement, without revealing the details.
- They discussed potential joint economic projects between the US and Russia.
- On 6 September, Witkoff and Kushner are expected to take part in talks in Kyiv.
Ushakov and Dmitriev took part in the negotiations
On the Russian side, together with Putin his assistant took part in the conversation Yuriy Ushakov and the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation Kirill Dmitriev. Ushakov described the meeting as substantive, constructive and frank, as well as timely and beneficial to both sides.
The White House also described the talks as substantive and said that further steps would be announced at a later date. At the start of the meeting Vitkoff conveyed greetings from the US President to Putin Donald Trump.
Moscow reiterated its demands, whilst the US set out its proposals for a settlement
According to Ushakov, Putin presented the American delegation with Russia’s assessment of events on the battlefield. He claimed there had been a so-called «real advance» by Russian troops and expressed Moscow’s confidence in achieving its objectives, whilst also reiterating the need to address the so-called «root causes of the conflict».
Reuters notes that this is not the first time Moscow has used such wording. The Kremlin continues to demand that Ukraine make territorial concessions and abandon its pursuit of NATO membership, whilst Kyiv rejects these conditions.
Vitkoff and Kushner, according to Ushakov, they put forward a number of ideas on possible ways to resolve the situation. The details of these ideas were not made public, nor were Moscow’s assessments of the specific proposals. The day before, Trump had said that the US had a specific proposal for end of war, without going into details.
Economic relations between the US and Russia were discussed separately
The talks covered economic relations between the two countries and potential large-scale joint Russian-American projects, which Moscow described as mutually beneficial. Ushakov did not specify the sectors, companies or possible parameters of these projects.
Putin stated that he considers contacts between Moscow and Washington to be beneficial, and that working with Witkoff and Kushner is convenient for the Russian side.
No agreed formula for ending the war was put forward
Ushakov did not disclose the agreed ceasefire formula, territorial compromise or the terms of a future peace agreement. Reuters also noted after the meeting that there were no signs of any substantial agreement between the parties.
At the same time, the Kremlin announced that contacts between the US and Russian presidents would continue.
US officials are due to meet with Zelenskyy in Kyiv
On Sunday, 6 September, Witkoff and Kushner are expected in Kyiv for talks with the president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian side is to receive information from the delegation regarding Moscow’s position, as set out during the Kremlin meeting, and to hear the US proposals on the next steps.
This meeting may reveal whether the talks in Moscow have identified any new areas where the parties’ positions might converge.
