Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on Tuesday, 2 December, after nearly a three‑hour delay, as they discussed a Ukraine peace plan.
Three‑hour delay before Putin welcomes Witkoff
On Tuesday, 2 December, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow. At Vnukovo Airport, Russian Foreign Ministry head Ilya Dmitriev greeted them. Putin reportedly forced himself to wait almost three hours before the meeting.
Scheduled for 15:00 but postponed to 18:00
The talks were originally scheduled for 15:00 local time, but the next Daily Russian news agency TASS reports at 18:00 that Putin had greeted the American delegation at the Kremlin. CNN noted that leaving the delegation waiting was a tactic used by the Russian leader earlier.
Kremlin’s agenda: Ukraine peace project
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the talks will focus on drafting a peace plan for Ukraine. Peskov said the parties would review issues agreed between Kyiv and Washington, with the aim of resolving the conflict. He added that Russia highly praised Trump’s efforts and that Moscow is interested in long‑term security arrangements.
White House remains optimistic
The White House stated it was “very optimistic” regarding a settlement ending the war in Ukraine. Before returning to the United States, Witkoff met with Ukrainian Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov.
Putin demands territorial concessions
Putin reiterated that Kyiv must cede territories that Moscow claims as its own, otherwise Russian forces will seize them by force. Ukraine says it does not trust Moscow’s intentions.
Further details to follow
Additional information on the meeting will be released soon.
