MOSCOW, November 12. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin received US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Thursday.
The meeting took place the day after the conclusion of the latest round of trilateral Russia-US-Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi.
During the meeting, Putin proposed organizing a humanitarian mission in Kostantinovka.
TASS has compiled the key details about the meeting and its agenda.
Meeting
- Russian presidential aides Yury Ushakov and Vladimir Medinsky, as well as the Presidential Special Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries Kirill Dmitriev, sat in on the meeting between Putin, Witkoff, and Kushner.
- The US envoys arrived in Moscow this morning following their participation in two-day trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi.
- Dmitriev met them at Vnukovo Airport.
- Ushakov stated that he had held preliminary consultations with Witkoff and Kushner.
Proposal for humanitarian mission in Kostantinovka
- Putin has proposed organizing a humanitarian mission in Kostantinovka, building on the one carried out in Alyoshki, in the Kherson region.
- He suggested tasking the ombudsmen of Russia and Ukraine with organizing this mission.
- He emphasized that Russia controls Kostantinovka and is capable of ensuring the safety of the humanitarian mission.
- He noted that Russia would require five days to clear mines in the vicinity of Kostantinovka. If Kiev believes it controls the city, it should ensure security from its side.
- Putin stated that approximately 400-500 civilians remain in Kostantinovka.
- The Russian leader also proposed inviting foreign media -including outlets from the United States - to cover the humanitarian mission.
Putin’s statements
- The Russian leader told the US envoys that he valued their assessment of the contacts that took place in Abu Dhabi.
- Putin noted that there has been success regarding the humanitarian track concerning Ukraine.
- Putin asked Witkoff and Kushner to convey his gratitude to Donald Trump for facilitating contacts between Russia and Ukraine and to Melania Trump for her role in resolving the Alyoshki humanitarian crisis.
- He called the humanitarian cooperation in that area "a positive experience."
- Russia is aware that the Ukrainian side has raised the issue of "gray zones."
- He emphasized that, for Russia, there is only one demarcation line with Ukraine - the state border.
- Putin stated that Russia never cut off dialogue with European countries. Rather, it was they who broke it off.
- Russia would like the American side to engage with Europe so that the latter might decide what it truly wants - peace or war.
- The Russian leader asked Witkoff and Kushner to share their assessment of the Ukrainian settlement process from a "European perspective," following their discussions with EU representatives.
- He remarked that he would like to see a lasting, permanent peace in Ukraine.
- The head of state stressed that Russia has maintained from the very beginning that the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine is unacceptable.
- He noted that the potential presence of foreign troops in Ukraine poses a threat to Russia’s national security.
- Putin emphasized that any foreign troops in Ukraine would become a legitimate target for the Russian Armed Forces.
- He warned that if European troops were to be deployed to Ukraine, "the war would resume."
- Putin stated that he would discuss various issues, including the territorial question, with Witkoff and Kushner.
- He pointed out that the territorial is a matter of great dispute, but for Russia, what matters most are the people living there and their right to live according to their own traditions.
Witkoff’s statements
- Witkoff thanked Putin for the meeting.
- He described the atmosphere at the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi as positive.
- The upcoming prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine means progress in the settlement process.
- In his view, the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi worked effectively.
- Witkoff thanked Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky for being part of the Ukrainian peace process from the very start of the conflict and for his work during the Abu Dhabi talks.
- He noted that while the Europeans were not seated at the negotiating table in Abu Dhabi, they were kept informed about the contacts.
- Witkoff said he would brief Zelensky on today’s talks with Putin.
Kushner’s statements
- Kushner expressed hope that today’s talks at the Kremlin would provide an opportunity to discuss bringing the conflict in Ukraine to an end and the paths toward achieving that.
- The US sees a strong desire on part of Europe to participate in talks and end the Ukraine conflict
- The US started discussing a continental security architecture with Europeans.