Trump had announced before the meeting that Witkoff and Kushner were travelling with a proposal aimed at finding a path toward peace.
Following the talks, a White House official said the two sides discussed substantive plans for possible next steps and indicated that further details could be announced in the coming weeks.
The discussions involved not only the conflict itself but also broader issues surrounding relations between Washington and Moscow. Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov described the talks as constructive and highly useful, although neither side announced a breakthrough or final agreement.
The lack of an immediate agreement highlights the enormous challenges facing negotiators as Russia and Ukraine remain divided over several fundamental issues.
Major Differences Remain
Despite renewed diplomatic engagement, Moscow and Kyiv continue to hold sharply different positions over what an acceptable peace settlement would look like.
Territory remains one of the most difficult questions. Russia continues to make demands involving Ukrainian territory and Ukraine’s future relationship with NATO, while Kyiv has repeatedly rejected giving up its territory as the price for peace.
These differences mean that a single meeting is unlikely to end the conflict. However, the latest talks could reopen diplomatic channels that had struggled to produce meaningful progress.
The White House said the discussions included plans for the next stages of negotiations, raising expectations that Washington intends to continue its mediation efforts.
US Envoys Head to Kyiv
After meeting Putin, Witkoff and Kushner are expected in Kyiv on Sunday for discussions with Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
It will give the American delegation an opportunity to hear directly from both sides before determining what compromises, if any, could form the basis of future negotiations.
The Kyiv visit is particularly important because any sustainable peace agreement would ultimately require Ukraine’s participation and acceptance.
Zelenskyy has said Ukraine needs to examine what proposals the American delegation brings from Moscow and what response Russia has given to Washington’s initiative.
Temporary Pause in Strikes on Capitals
The diplomatic mission has also produced a temporary reduction in attacks targeting the two countries’ capitals.
Putin ordered a temporary pause in Russian strikes against Kyiv connected to the American delegation’s visit, while Zelenskyy said Ukraine was prepared to refrain from attacks against Moscow during the diplomatic period and expected Russia to do the same regarding Kyiv.
However, the wider conflict has not stopped.
Russian and Ukrainian forces continued exchanging attacks elsewhere, demonstrating how fragile the situation remains even while diplomatic discussions are taking place.
Can Trump’s Initiative Bring an End to the War?
The Trump administration’s latest intervention represents another attempt to revive negotiations after previous diplomatic efforts failed to secure a lasting settlement.
The Moscow meeting itself should therefore not be interpreted as a peace agreement.
There is currently no confirmed ceasefire ending the Russia-Ukraine war and no final peace deal has been announced.
What has changed is that direct diplomatic engagement has intensified again, with American representatives travelling between Moscow and Kyiv in an effort to identify areas where negotiations could move forward.
The coming days and weeks could prove important. The outcome of the American delegation’s discussions with Zelenskyy may provide a clearer indication of whether the latest initiative has enough support from both Russia and Ukraine to develop into serious negotiations.
For millions of people affected by more than four years of war, even renewed dialogue will attract considerable international attention.
Whether that dialogue eventually produces peace will depend on whether the parties can overcome disagreements that have remained unresolved throughout the conflict.