The US President's special envoy Steve Witkoff announced the achievement of significant progress after his key diplomatic meetings in Moscow and Kiev. The visit, conducted jointly with Donald Trump's son-in-law – Jared Kushner, aims to restart the trilateral dialogue to end the war in Ukraine. Despite Washington's optimistic tone, the authoritative media Bloomberg published revelations that indicate the lack of a real breakthrough during the talks in the Kremlin.
US Optimism: Small Steps Towards Peace
In a statement shared on social media, Witkoff stressed that the parties had made progress in agreeing on a schedule for future trilateral meetings. According to him, the US administration continues to actively work towards achieving long-term and sustainable peace.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also confirmed to journalists that Moscow did not rule out the resumption of the trilateral format between the US, Russia and Ukraine. He described the talks as a “small step towards peace”, but added that it was still too early to discuss specific dates or locations for official meetings. In Kiev, the negotiators were welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the talks were unexpectedly joined by the national security advisers of Britain, Germany, and France.
Bloomberg's Disclosures: The Kremlin's Firm Position
Amidst the official diplomatic optimism, Bloomberg published a report citing sources familiar with the details of the three-hour meeting of the American delegation with Vladimir Putin in Moscow. According to the media outlet, the negotiations no breakthrough was reported.
Bloomberg sources indicate that the Russian president remains determined to impose control over the entire eastern Donetsk region. The Russian leadership believes that its army can achieve this goal within the next six months, which hardens Moscow's position and makes compromises unlikely at this stage. Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also support this thesis, stating that the Kremlin's demands go beyond the initial territorial claims and show no willingness to make concessions.
The diplomatic efforts coincide with a temporary and tactical halt to air strikes over Kiev during the envoys' stay. However, markets reacted cautiously – After the initial surge in the Moscow Exchange Index (IMOEX) following the news of the dialogue, leading economic analysts warn that geopolitical risk remains too high for a lasting recovery.