Russia-US talks on Ukraine settlement start in Moscow

MOSCOW

Talks began Thursday between Russia and the US at the Kremlin in Moscow on a possible settlement to the war in Ukraine.

The Russian side includes President Vladimir Putin, his aide on international affairs Yury Ushakov, and presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriyev.

The US delegation, apart from Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, includes Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum for the first time.

"This is Josh," Witkoff told Putin at the beginning of the meeting.

A plane carrying Witkoff and Kushner landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport at 10.40 pm local time (1940GMT).

The US delegation will discuss options with Putin aimed at ending the war, according to the Kremlin.

Speaking earlier on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Witkoff said he and Kushner would travel to Abu Dhabi following the talks in Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the first trilateral talks between Russia, the US and Ukraine are scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates on Friday and Saturday.