Top US envoys met President Putin in Moscow for Ukraine peace talks, as Kyiv announced a draft security deal with Washington is nearly ready.
MOSCOW: Top US negotiators met Russian President Vladimir Putin for high-stakes talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
The meeting in Moscow on Thursday included US envoy Steve Witkoff, presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, and White House advisor Josh Gruenbaum.
It followed an announcement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that a draft deal on post-war US security guarantees was “nearly, nearly ready”.
Diplomatic efforts to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II have intensified in recent months.
Witkoff said earlier he believed the two sides were “down to one issue”, without providing details.
Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov also participated in the talks.
Russia occupies around 20% of Ukraine and seeks full control of the eastern Donbas region in any settlement.
Kyiv has warned it will not sign any peace deal that fails to deter Russia from launching a future assault.
Zelensky stated the security guarantees were “done” after meeting US President Donald Trump in Davos.
He added that the UK and France had already committed to providing forces on the ground.
The US negotiators did not stay in Moscow overnight, instead flying directly to Abu Dhabi for further talks.
Witkoff said discussions would continue there in “military to military” working groups.
Zelensky indicated these talks in the United Arab Emirates would last for two days.
On Wednesday, Trump repeated his belief that Putin and Zelensky were close to a deal.
“If they don’t, they’re stupid — that goes for both of them,” Trump said in Davos.
In his own Davos address, Zelensky criticised the European Union’s lack of “political will” to counter Putin.
“Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers,” he said.
He also criticised Europe for relying on the United States for its defence against aggression.
Russian strikes this week left most of Kyiv without electricity and thousands of buildings without heat.
Russia states its strikes target energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.
Kyiv says the attacks are a war crime aimed at subduing the civilian population.
