Russian President Vladimir Putin met with senior U.S. negotiators in Moscow on Tuesday to debate the Kremlin’s phrases for a proposed Russia-Ukraine peace deal. Representing Washington was U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff, long criticized for being too accommodating to Russia, and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Putin aide Yuri Ushakov additionally attended.
Forward of Tuesday’s assembly, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned the administration feels “very optimistic.” However shortly earlier than the talks in Moscow started, Putin accused Kyiv’s European allies of being “on the aspect of warfare” and making an attempt to undermine the peace course of with counterproposals. An preliminary 28-point peace plan, drafted with out Ukrainian enter, included restrictions on Kyiv’s navy, ceded some Ukrainian territory to Russia, and barred Kyiv from ever becoming a member of NATO. The deal has since been whittled all the way down to a 19-point framework that excludes a number of of those calls for.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with senior U.S. negotiators in Moscow on Tuesday to debate the Kremlin’s phrases for a proposed Russia-Ukraine peace deal. Representing Washington was U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff, long criticized for being too accommodating to Russia, and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Putin aide Yuri Ushakov additionally attended.
Forward of Tuesday’s assembly, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned the administration feels “very optimistic.” However shortly earlier than the talks in Moscow started, Putin accused Kyiv’s European allies of being “on the aspect of warfare” and making an attempt to undermine the peace course of with counterproposals. An preliminary 28-point peace plan, drafted with out Ukrainian enter, included restrictions on Kyiv’s navy, ceded some Ukrainian territory to Russia, and barred Kyiv from ever becoming a member of NATO. The deal has since been whittled all the way down to a 19-point framework that excludes a number of of those calls for.
Putin maintained that he’s dedicated to in search of peace and has no plans to struggle Europe. Nevertheless, he continued: “If Europe all of the sudden begins a warfare with us, I feel it would finish in a short time.” If Europe begins a warfare with Russia, then Moscow will quickly have “nobody to barter with,” he added.
Putin’s repeated threats to grab extra Ukrainian land if Kyiv doesn’t conform to Moscow’s circumstances have additional undermined international belief in his guarantees. On Monday, Russian forces claimed to have totally captured the strategic Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. And on Tuesday, Putin threatened to sever Ukraine’s entry to the Black Sea following drone strikes on Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet; Kyiv has denied any involvement in these assaults.
Witkoff and Kushner are anticipated to fulfill with Zelensky in Europe later this week.
Learn extra in right now’s World Transient: Putin’s Threats Against Europe Undermine Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks.
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