U.S. Envoys Arrive in Moscow for Latest Round of Talks With Putin

By Reuters Nov. 12, 2026 Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev greets US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. REUTERS U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of their latest push for a peace deal in Ukraine. The Kremlin talks — expected to take place around noon Moscow time — will be the 10th time that Witkoff has met Putin in person, and will follow two days of trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi. The trilateral talks wrapped up on Wednesday with news of another planned major prisoner exchange, but no public breakthrough in the wider negotiation to end the conflict. Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev met Kushner and Witkoff on the runway amid wet snow and accompanied them to central Moscow ahead of their talks with Putin. This week's Abu Dhabi talks were the first direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine mediated by the U.S. in nine months, and, although Russian and Ukrainian negotiators reported some progress, the U.S. side said differences remained on major issues, including territory. Despite public optimism from U.S. President Trump, neither side has shown signs of making major compromises. Kyiv has strongly rejected Putin's demands to surrender the whole of the eastern Donbas region in return for peace, and with talks deadlocked on land, U.S. mediators have tried to steer discussions towards postwar security guarantees and reconstruction. A senior Russian diplomat said on Wednesday that Moscow could conclude non-aggression pacts with NATO member states as part of a new security architecture for Europe, though many European politicians say they oppose any discussion of Europe's overall security before real progress on Ukraine — including a ceasefire — is made. Read more about: Moscow , Putin , Trump , Peace Talks Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Zelensky Offers to Meet Putin in Turkey ‘Personally’ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he expected Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend peace talks in Turkey. 2 Min read Trump Says ‘Very Angry’ With Putin Over Ukraine The U.S. president threatened to impose "secondary tariffs on all oil coming out of Russia" if the Kremlin refused to back a peace deal in Ukraine. 3 Min read Experts, Politicians Lukewarm on Prospects for Putin-Trump Peace Talks Experts and political figures on both sides of the Atlantic appeared skeptical that talks between the two leaders could lead to a lasting peace. 4 Min read Putin Ally Says Russia Will Likely Reject Trump’s Ukraine Deal Putin ally Konstantin Malofeyev said Russia wants an agreement “about the global order,” a legacy that both Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump could leave... 2 Min read