Kremlin views agreement prospects pessimistically after Witkoff, Kushner's Moscow visit – media

The Kremlin harbors extremely pessimistic views on the potential for agreements aimed at ending Russia's war against Ukraine, following the recent visit of U.S. presidential special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow, Bloomberg reported. According to individuals familiar with Kremlin affairs, expectations surrounding the visit are disappointingly low.

In the past, both Witkoff and Kushner's trips to Russia have failed to generate any progress, and there is little reason to believe they will bring forth acceptable proposals this time, these sources stated. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin is only willing to end the war if Russia's terms are met, these sources noted. Moreover, Russian demands have become increasingly stringent, as Moscow believes it possesses a military advantage.

Concurrently, despite this, Russia shows no willingness to make substantial concessions, Bloomberg's sources noted. A key demand from Putin remains the transfer of the remaining territory of Donetsk to Russia as part of any potential peace deal, a demand which Ukraine has consistently rejected.