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US President Donald Trump said his negotiators left Moscow with the impression that Russian leader Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, even as a marathon negotiating session produced no breakthrough and the Kremlin declared key elements of Washington's peace plan "unacceptable."
Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Putin into the early hours of Wednesday, presenting an updated US proposal to resolve the conflict that has devastated Ukraine since Russia's February 2022 invasion. The president characterized the discussions as productive but offered little clarity on next steps.
"They had a very good meeting yesterday with President Putin," Trump told reporters. "What comes out of that meeting? I can't tell you."
The talks exposed deep divisions over core issues that have defined the conflict for nearly three years. Moscow and Washington failed to find compromise on territorial questions, according to the Kremlin, while Ukraine's potential NATO membership remained what Russian officials called a "key" sticking point.
The Kremlin directly linked Russia's recent military advances in eastern Ukraine to its negotiating position, suggesting battlefield momentum has hardened Moscow's stance at the bargaining table.
"The progress and nature of the negotiations were influenced by the successes of the Russian army on the battlefield in recent weeks," said Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin aide who participated in the talks. He added that Russian soldiers had helped make foreign partners' assessments "regarding the paths to a peace settlement more appropriate."
Russian forces have steadily pushed forward across the front line against outgunned Ukrainian troops. Moscow this week claimed full control of the strategic city of Pokrovsk, though a Ukrainian military unit disputed that assertion, saying urban combat continues. The Ukrainian online mapping project DeepState indicates most of the city is now under Russian occupation.
Putin has stated in recent days that Russia is prepared to continue fighting to seize all territory it claims if Kyiv does not surrender those areas. The Russian leader on Tuesday delivered what observers described as an exceptionally aggressive message toward Europe, declaring Moscow was ready for war if European nations wanted one.
Britain dismissed Putin's rhetoric as "yet more Kremlin claptrap from a president who isn't serious about peace."
Ukraine's potential accession to the NATO alliance has emerged as a fundamental obstacle to any settlement. Moscow launched its full-scale offensive in February 2022 claiming it sought to prevent Kyiv from joining the Western military bloc, though Ukraine and NATO have called that a pretext and noted membership was not imminent at the time.
Since the invasion began, Ukrainian officials have argued that NATO membership represents the only reliable guarantee against future Russian aggression. Trump has repeatedly ruled out allowing Ukraine to join the alliance during his administration.
Despite the lack of progress, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized Moscow's continued willingness to engage diplomatically. "We are still ready to meet as many times as is needed to reach a peace settlement," he said, though he noted Russia found certain aspects of the US proposal unacceptable.
The White House had previously expressed optimism about prospects for ending what officials have described as Europe's worst conflict since World War II, but that hope appeared to diminish Wednesday as details of the impasse emerged.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged an opening for peace negotiations but stressed any diplomatic process must include sustained pressure on Russia. "The world now clearly feels that there is an opportunity to end the war, and the current activity in negotiations must be supported by pressure on Russia," he said in his evening address.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed ongoing talks while emphasizing the alliance's commitment to ensuring Ukraine maintains military strength. The alliance recently pledged to purchase hundreds of millions of dollars worth of US weapons for Kyiv.
"Ukraine is in the strongest possible position to keep the fight going," Rutte said, signaling NATO's intention to continue supporting Ukrainian forces even as diplomatic efforts intensify.
European nations have expressed concern about being excluded from negotiations between Washington and Moscow, fearing any agreement might force Ukraine into unfavorable terms. Rustem Umerov, Zelenskyy's top negotiator, held extensive meetings with European security advisors Wednesday and was expected to confer with Trump's envoys.
"I gave my colleagues a detailed update on the negotiations in Geneva and Florida, and on the next steps in the diplomatic process," Umerov said. "It's important that Europe stays an active part of this."
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