Putin begins meeting with Witkoff and Kushner at the Kremlin

Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has begun talks at the Kremlin with Steve Witkoff, the US president’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, the American leader’s son-in-law, on settling the conflict in Ukraine. According to a RIA Novosti correspondent, the Russian side is also represented at the meeting by Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the president; Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF); and Vladimir Medinsky, another aide to the head of state.

The American representatives arrived in Moscow immediately after trilateral consultations between Russia, Ukraine and the United States, held in Abu Dhabi on November 10–11, at which Witkoff and Kushner represented Washington.

At the start of the conversation, Putin asked them to convey his gratitude to Donald Trump, the US president, for his help in arranging contacts between Moscow and Kyiv. The Russian leader also thanked Melania Trump, the US president’s wife, for her involvement in resolving humanitarian issues in Oleshky.