Late Thursday, January 22, Putin met Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin for four hours of talks on Ukraine and diplomacy, described as based on trust.
Late-Night Kremlin Talks
The meeting occurred late Thursday, January 22. Participating with Vladimir Putin were US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and key Trump advisor Jared Kushner, his son-in-law. Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov stated the talks lasted approximately four hours, focusing primarily on the war in Ukraine and next diplomatic steps. Ushakov described them as “extremely substantive, constructive, frank and based on trust,” while avoiding specifics.
No Peace Without Territorial Resolution
Russian authorities emphasized Ukraine’s future as a key topic. Ushakov affirmed Moscow maintains its stance on borders, stating: “Without resolving territorial issues according to the previously agreed formula in Anchorage, there is no talk of a lasting agreement.” He added Russia is interested in a political and diplomatic resolution but will continue military operations until then.
USA-Russia-Ukraine Trilateral Meeting in Abu Dhabi
One concrete outcome was the announcement of further negotiations. The Kremlin confirmed a first trilateral USA-Russia-Ukraine working group meeting on security issues will take place on Friday, January 23, in Abu Dhabi. Russian intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov will head the Russian delegation. Parallel US-Russia economic talks are also planned.
New Face in US Delegation: Josh Gruenbaum
While Kremlin communiqués were brief, the US delegation composition drew attention. Josh Gruenbaum, a White House advisor and head of the US Federal Acquisition Service, participated for the first time at such a high-level meeting. Gruenbaum also advises Trump’s newly formed Peace Council, an international initiative addressing global conflicts including Gaza. The Kremlin linked his presence to discussions on future economic cooperation and potential Russian involvement in Peace Council projects, including using some previously frozen US assets.