Putin Talks with US Envoys on Ukraine War Progress

Russian President Vladimir Putin held more than three hours of discussions with United States envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow concerning efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov characterized the talks as lacking breakthroughs, stating that Putin claimed Russia was making "real progress" on the battlefield.

The envoys, representing U.S. President Donald Trump, did not provide public comments after the meeting and were scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv shortly thereafter.

Putin praised Trump's efforts to resolve the conflict, while a White House official indicated that further steps would be announced soon. The ongoing fighting has intensified, with both Russia and Ukraine conducting long-range air strikes.

The Kremlin's position remains that Ukraine must cede territory from four regions claimed by Russia and abandon its NATO aspirations. A person close to the Kremlin expressed confidence that additional Ukrainian territory could be captured by the end of the year, despite skepticism from Western military analysts.