Putin agrees to certain U.S. suggestions regarding Ukraine, but not all

Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated a willingness to accept certain U.S. proposals aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine, while turning down others, the Kremlin announced on Wednesday.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia is prepared to engage with U.S. negotiators as many times as needed to reach an agreement regarding Ukraine. This statement came after discussions in Moscow between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trumps special envoy, Steve Witkoff, along with Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner. The talks continued into the early hours of Wednesday.

Peskov stressed that it would be misleading to claim Putin rejected the U.S. proposals entirely, describing the meeting as an initial face-to-face exchange of views. Earlier, a Kremlin aide had noted that compromises have not yet been reached.

The Kremlin indicated that efforts to develop a Ukraine agreement are currently being handled at the expert level, suggesting that such discussions are more likely to succeed without public statements. Russian officials acknowledged Trumps involvement, with Peskov noting that the Kremlin values Trumps political will to seek a resolution and appreciates his efforts.

Furthermore, the Kremlin mentioned that the outcomes of ongoing expert-level negotiations should serve as a foundation for higher-level talks between Russia and the United States. When asked for further specifics, the Kremlin declined to comment, emphasizing a preference against megaphone diplomacy.

Author: Benjamin Carter