Witkoff and Kushner meet with Putin about ending Ukraine war
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Add Axios on Google Russia's President Vladimir Putinwelcomes special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner prior to their talks in Moscow Saturday. (Photo by Gavriil GRIGOROV / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
President Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Saturday and discussed U.S. ideas for ending the war in Ukraine.
Why it matters: Witkoff and Kushner want to resume direct talks between Russia and Ukraine after negotiations were suspended six months ago and the fighting has escalated ahead of winter.
What they are saying: Putin told Witkoff and Kushner at the top of the three-hour meeting that he has "full trust" in the U.S. mediation between Russia and Ukraine.
Yes, but: Over the last several days, Russia dramatically increased its drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, including Kyiv and other major cities.
The big picture: The trip to Kyiv by Trump's envoys will be the highest-level visit by a U.S. official to Ukraine since President Trump started his second term.
What they said: Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy aide, told Russian reporters afterward that Witkoff and Kushner "made serious preparations for this trip. They not only expressed their traditional interest in a speedy end to the fighting but also formulated a number of ideas regarding possible resolution paths."
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