Putin holds Ukraine peace talks with US negotiators in Moscow

Vladimir Putin hosted US negotiators at the Kremlin on Tuesday for five hours of talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, which a Russian official said had been “productive”.

The discussions with US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were held behind closed doors and details have not yet emerged.

They came shortly after Putin said European demands over a US-Russia draft peace place were unacceptable, adding that “if Europe wants to fight with us, we are ready to do so”.

The US envoys went to Moscow after similar talks with delegates from Kyiv in the last fortnight. Ukraine’s President Zelensky said he expected a briefing by the US team after the meeting.

He said there was an opportunity to end the war “now more than ever” but that elements of the proposals still needed to be worked out.

“Everything depends on today’s discussions,” Zelensky told a press conference in Dublin during an official visit to Ireland.

Kyiv representatives have twice met US negotiators, including Witkoff, Kushner and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, since the 28-point peace plan – widely viewed to favour Moscow – was circulated in November.

It sparked shock in Ukraine and around Europe for appearing to favour the demands of Moscow, which invaded Ukraine nearly four years ago.

After talks with Ukraine over the weekend, the White House said the proposals had been “very much refined”, although details of the updated plans have not been confirmed.

Some key disagreements between Moscow and Kyiv remain – namely regarding Ukrainian sovereignty over the territories Russia partly controls and security guarantees.

Zelensky said on Tuesday there were “no simple solutions”, repeating his country’s insistence that Kyiv take part in peace discussions, and that clear security guarantees be agreed, such as Nato membership – a move long opposed by Russia and ruled out by Trump.

“We have to stop the war in such a manner that in one year, Russia would not come back”, Zelensky added.

Putin appeared immovable on its demands as recently as last week, while Zelensky has repeatedly said he would never relinquish control of eastern Ukrainian regions.

While Tuesday’s talks were under way, Trump told his cabinet in Washington that the conflict had not been easy to resolve.

“Our people are over in Russia right now to see if we can get it settled,” he said. “What a mess.”

Kyiv’s European allies had countered the 28-point plan with their own document – removing many of the most contentious elements, such as Washington’s recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as de facto Russian.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, Putin told reporters Europe’s demands were “not acceptable” and that they were trying to hinder efforts towards peace.

Afterwards, Russian foreign policy adviser Kirill Dmitriev – who was at the table – described the talks as “productive”.

Zelensky had met French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, with several European leaders joining the meeting virtually.

Macron said there was “no finalised plan to speak of” and that it could only be achieved with input from Ukraine and Europe.

Meanwhile, fighting continued on the front lines on Tuesday. Ukraine’s military said it was still engaging Russian troops in the key eastern city of Pokrovsk – contradicting Moscow’s claim to have captured it.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence shared a video on Telegram claiming to show its troops holding up flags in the strategically important city, which they have been trying to seize for over a year.

Ukraine’s eastern military command claimed Russia had tried to “flag-plant” in the city so that “propagandists” could say it had been captured. “They fled in a hurry, and the mopping up of enemy groups continues,” it said in a statement on social media.

Ukraine’s military said its forces still controlled the northern part of the city, with Russian units suffering heavy losses, while international observers also disputed Russia’s claim to the area.

The military in Kyiv also dismissed Russia’s claims to have captured the north-eastern Ukrainian border town of Vovchansk and said it had “significantly improved” its position in the northeastern city of Kupyans, which Russia claimed to have conquered a fortnight ago.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed or injured – alongside more than 14,000 civilians, according to the UN.

Civilian targets including kindergartens, hospitals and residential buildings have been destroyed or heavily damaged by nightly drone or missile attacks.

The conflict between the two ex-Soviet states stretches back to 2014 when Ukraine’s pro-Russian president was overthrown and Russia responded by annexing Crimea and supporting armed uprisings in eastern Ukraine.