Russian President Putin held four-hour talks with Trump’s delegation in Moscow, discussing Ukraine war and future diplomacy.
Night Talks at the Kremlin
The meeting took place late evening on Thursday, January 22. At the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin met with US President’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, one of Donald Trump’s key advisors and privately his son-in-law. According to Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov, the talks lasted about four hours and focused primarily on the war in Ukraine and further diplomatic steps.
Ushakov described the talks as “extremely substantive, constructive, frank, and based on trust” but avoided providing details.
No Peace Without Resolving Territorial Issues
According to Russian authorities, the key topic was the future of Ukraine. Ushakov noted that Moscow maintains its position on borders, stating “Without resolving territorial issues in accordance with the previously agreed formula in Anchorage, there is no talk of a permanent agreement.”
At the same time, he assured that Russia is interested in resolving the conflict through political and diplomatic means, though until that time it will continue military actions.
USA-Russia-Ukraine Tripartite Meeting in Abu Dhabi
One of the few specifics after the talks was the announcement of further negotiations. The Kremlin confirmed that on Friday, January 23, the first meeting of the USA-Russia-Ukraine tripartite working group on security issues will take place in Abu Dhabi.
The Russian delegation will be led by the head of military intelligence Igor Kostyukov. Parallel to this, Russian-American talks on economic matters are also planned.
New Face in the US Delegation
Although Kremlin communications were sparse, commentators noted the composition of the US delegation. For the first time at such a high-level meeting, Josh Gruenbaum participated – White House advisor and head of the Federal Acquisition Service in the US administration.
Gruenbaum has recently also served as an advisor to the newly established Peace Council by Donald Trump – an international initiative that will address global conflicts, including in the Gaza Strip. According to the Kremlin, his presence was related to talks about future economic cooperation and possible Russian involvement in Peace Council projects, including proposals to use part of Russian assets previously frozen by the US.