US negotiators to urge Putin to bring Europeans into Ukraine talks

US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, according to Russian media reports. This is the latest round of shuttle diplomacy aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine. Witkoff, a special envoy for US President Donald Trump, and Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, are set to inform Putin about the outcomes of the recent trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US held in Abu Dhabi. This is Witkoff's fourth visit to meet with Putin this year.

Putin reportedly expressed his desire to hear the envoys' assessment of the negotiations during their meeting. TASS news agency cited Witkoff as praising the upcoming prisoner exchange agreed upon by both sides in Abu Dhabi. One of the objectives of the Moscow meeting, as per Kushner's statement, was to explore the possibility of including European nations in the format, thereby making it a multi-lateral format.

During the meeting, Putin's foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, was quoted by TASS as stating that the discussions would focus on resolving the crisis surrounding Ukraine. Following their meeting in Moscow, Kushner and Witkoff plan to visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin, Ireland.

The summit of the European Political Community (EPC), attended by leaders from nearly 50 countries, is currently underway in Ireland. The Ukraine war is a significant topic on the agenda. Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange during the US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, although no concrete steps towards ending the war have been announced. Shortly after the talks, Russia conducted fresh airstrikes on Ukraine, with Kiev once again falling victim to ballistic missile attacks overnight.