President Vladimir Putin held a meeting late Thursday with an American delegation led by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss recent developments in negotiations aimed at concluding the conflict in Ukraine, just a day ahead of scheduled trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi.
“The discussions spanned about four hours and were both substantive and constructive. I would also characterize them as exceptionally candid and conducted in a spirit of trust,” stated Yuri Ushakov, Kremlin foreign policy advisor.
Joining Witkoff once again was Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former U.S. President Donald Trump. They arrived in Moscow after attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Witkoff mentioned his belief that an agreement between Russia and Ukraine might be forthcoming.
Ushakov noted that the Kremlin meeting predominantly revolved around sharing insights from recent U.S. dialogues with Ukraine and its European allies, relating to a peace framework supported by America that was first introduced in November.
He emphasized that the parties concurred: “Without resolving the territorial issues… a long-term settlement cannot be expected,” indicating that the Kremlin is not prepared to yield on its primary demand for full control over the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, at least for now.
“We are genuinely keen to resolve the Ukrainian crisis through political and diplomatic means,” Ushakov remarked. “Nevertheless, until that is accomplished, Russia will persist in pursuing its objectives… on the battlefield where our forces hold a strategic edge.”
His remarks echo sentiments expressed by Russian officials throughout the stalled efforts of the Trump administration to negotiate an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine, which is nearing its fourth anniversary. While Putin has insisted that Ukraine surrender the Donbas despite not fully controlling the area, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has categorically dismissed this notion.
Ushakov further confirmed that Russian, Ukrainian, and American officials were anticipated to conduct their first trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi on Friday. Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a key Kremlin negotiator, are expected to be in attendance, along with Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency.
He also mentioned that the discussion touched on Trump’s proposal for Russia to join the “Board of Peace” initiative, in addition to concerns regarding Trump’s interest in asserting control over Greenland amidst perceived threats posed by Russia and China in the Arctic.
Ushakov reiterated Putin’s stance that Russia is willing to provide the $1 billion necessary for permanent membership in the “Board of Peace,” contingent upon the financing being sourced from Russian assets frozen in the U.S. following the invasion of Ukraine. He noted that the remaining frozen assets could be allocated for post-war reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.
Interestingly, this meeting marked the first attendance of Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum in talks in Russia alongside Witkoff and Kushner. In a video released by the Kremlin, Witkoff is heard introducing him to Putin, saying, “This is Josh.”
Gruenbaum, who has a background in private equity and investment banking, has recently participated in high-level negotiations surrounding Ukraine and Gaza, including a meeting in Paris earlier this month with European and Ukrainian officials to discuss Trump’s peace initiative.
He continues to hold his procurement role at the General Services Administration, which is not involved in U.S. foreign policy. Former officials from the GSA indicated that it is quite “unusual” for someone in that position to engage in high-level discussions on international conflicts.
Gruenbaum’s participation, along with Witkoff and Kushner—both involved in real estate—suggests that the ongoing negotiations likely transcend pure diplomacy and could involve prospective business arrangements between the United States and Russia.
Sources informed The Moscow Times last year that the Kremlin directed significant Russian corporations to formulate proposals for economic collaboration with Washington following Trump’s election. According to these sources, Moscow has aimed to connect business agreements with talks on peace in Ukraine to encourage Trump towards a resolution that would be more favorable to Russia.
