Overview

• Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy for President Trump, met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow to advocate for Ukraine’s right to maintain its military and defense industry.
• The Kremlin meeting marked the fourth round of high-level discussions, with no concessions announced from either side despite escalating tensions.
• Putin’s advisors Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev participated in the talks, reflecting Russia’s continued resistance to NATO aspirations for Ukraine.
• The meeting followed Russia’s resumption of airstrikes after a brief Easter truce and the death of a Russian general in a bombing near Moscow.
• Previous U.S. proposals, including recognition of Crimea’s annexation and freezing current battle lines, have faced backlash from Ukraine and European allies.