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US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on the 12th regarding the war in Ukraine. Putin emphasized that Russia's position, including its territorial demands, remains unchanged. The two envoys then traveled to Dublin, Ireland, where they met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Mr. Zelenskyy welcomed the explanation that European representatives would be included in future peace talks.
The two envoys had spent the previous two days in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), attending high-level talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States aimed at ending the war. These talks ended with the war still far from over.
The US-Russian talks held at the Kremlin on the 12th addressed issues that have long been an obstacle to peace in Ukraine.
Putin insists that territorial issues remain a key point of contention. "For us, there is only one boundary, the border line. We are here, you are there. As soon as you start talking about 'gray areas'... it becomes bickering and the agreement is in jeopardy. And there will be no lasting peace."
Putin also proposed a humanitarian truce, modeled on the ceasefire in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine last month, to evacuate hundreds of civilians from frontline areas. A similar five-day ceasefire was proposed for Kostiantynivka in the eastern Donetsk region.
Putin also reiterated that the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine is "unacceptable." He said he wanted the United States to engage with Europe "so that Europe can decide whether it really wants peace or war."
After meeting with Putin, Witkov told Russian state television that he and Putin had already agreed to hold new trilateral talks. He also said that European countries would also participate next time, saying, ``(European countries) are our partners and their participation is important for us.''
Kushner, however, urged Europeans to "identify who will speak on their behalf" at the talks.
Kaya Karas, the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, told the BBC's "NewsHour" that the presence of European officials at the upcoming meeting shows the Kremlin "recognizes that Europe has a big role to play."
Karas also explained that Europe's budget is tight, and that "support for Ukraine is becoming increasingly difficult." Still, he warned that if Russia's aggression is allowed to continue, it "endangers not only the European Union's eastern borders, but the entire continent."
Ukraine and Europe have long been concerned about the Trump administration's approach to European security and its soft stance toward the Kremlin. They also fear that decisions about the continent will be made without them.
The Kremlin has not disclosed the structure of the next round of talks, scheduled for next week. At the beginning of his meeting with the US envoy that day, Putin indicated that he did not want full involvement from European countries. Russia has long argued that European support for Ukraine is a deterrent to its involvement.
Zelenskiy welcomes European participation in talks
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On the evening of the 12th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with US special envoys Kushner and Witkov in Dublin.
The US envoy promised that the EU delegation would also take part in the next round of peace talks. Zelenskiy welcomed the move, saying it would give the EU a "voice" in the talks.
Mr. Zelenskiy has been calling for the inclusion of European representatives in peace talks for several years. Ukraine has a long-term goal of joining the EU, and from that perspective, it makes sense for the European side to join the talks.
Kushner said the U.S. "has been working extremely closely with European countries in recent months, and I think that's been extremely important." In his talks with Putin, he emphasized the importance of having European representatives at the "negotiating table," and told Zelenskiy that "he (Putin) is willing to give it a try."
Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine agreed on a new prisoner exchange on the 12th. It is expected to be the largest exchange since 2022, when Russia's full-scale invasion begins.
Kushner said this would allow "thousands of people to go home to their families." However, the exact number of prisoners to be exchanged and the schedule were not disclosed.
Roughly one-fifth of Ukraine is currently controlled by the Russian military. Cross-border intrusions are also on the rise.
Just before Witkov and Kushner met with Zelensky that day, tensions between the United States and Ukraine were exposed.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine's military faces more "systematic" restrictions on its use of Starlink's military satellite service StarShield. Ukraine is struggling to intercept Russian jet-powered drones.
This satellite service is being developed by SpaceX, a company led by businessman Elon Musk. It plays a vital role in communications between the government and military in Ukraine, and is increasingly important in communications on the front lines in Ukraine.
(English article US envoys meet Zelensky in Dublin after talks with Putin in Moscow／Zelensky welcomes US bringing Europe into Russia-Ukraine peace talks)
