Putin tells US envoys Witkoff, Kushner that situation in Ukraine is 'difficult'

US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss potential paths toward ending the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin described the talks as 'frank' and noted that the US side presented several ideas for a settlement.
Why it matters
This meeting marks a high-level diplomatic effort by US representatives to engage with Russia regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Putin told the US envoys at the start of the talks that the situation in Ukraine is "difficult".
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, as US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stands nearby during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia on Sep 5, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Sputnik)
MOSCOW: US envoys proposed a "number of ideas" on how to end the Ukraine war in "frank" talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin late on Saturday (Sep 5), Moscow said, ahead of their first trip to Kyiv.
US President Donald Trump's business partner Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met Putin for more than three hours, the Kremlin said, as Washington tries to revive negotiations to end Europe's worst conflict since World War II.
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