Approximately five hours of negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow ended shortly after 10:30 p.m. CET.

Russia and the United States have not come any closer to resolving the crisis in Ukraine, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said after the meeting. Reuters reports, citing Russian news agencies. Ushakov noted, among other things, that much work still needs to be done. However, he described the meeting as useful, constructive and meaningful.

According to Ushakov, a solution has not yet been found on the territorial issue, but the American side has presented its proposals to the Russians."We have not found a compromise yet, but it is possible to discuss some American solutions," Ushakov said. According to him, the negotiations did not concern specific proposals, but the very essence of what the American plans contain.

Secret conclusions

The American negotiators will now return to the United States, where they will present the results of today's talks in the Kremlin to President Donald Trump and liaise with the Russian side, Ušakov said, outlining the next steps. Both sides have agreed not to disclose the content of the current talks due to their confidential nature, he added.

In a one-word post on the social network X, Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the talks"productive." According to Reuters, Witkoff headed to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow after the meeting.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said before the talks began that they would last as long as necessary. A marathon of negotiations was expected.

The convoy with Witkoff and Kushner in Moscow

The American delegation also included Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. On the Russian side, Putin, Ushakov and Dmitriev were present.

According to an AFP source, the meeting between the two American negotiators and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could take place as early as Wednesday in Brussels.

The talks began about three hours behind schedule at around 19:40 Moscow time (17:40 CET) in the presence of the media, with Putin and Witkoff exchanging pleasantries. A smiling Putin told Witkoff he was glad to see him and asked him how he had enjoyed his walk around the capital today. Witkoff replied that Moscow was beautiful.

UKRAINE: Witkoff and Kushner have landed in Moscow for direct Ukraine peace talks with Vladimir Putin. The U.S. delegation is now headed to the Kremlin. Pray for peace.

— @amuse (@amuse) December 2, 2025

Foreign press agencies noted that negotiations were conducted with the help of interpreters on both sides.

While Witkoff is in Russia with Putin for the sixth time this year, it was Kushner's first meeting with the Kremlin leader, the DPA agency noted.

The TASS agency writes that the American envoys were greeted at the airport before the talks by Dmitriyev, who has held several talks with Witkoff. They had lunch together and toured the center of Moscow.

Trump about chaos, Zelensky about optimism

US President Trump described the war in Ukraine as"chaos" at a cabinet meeting in Washington and said the conflict would not be easy to resolve. His words came almost simultaneously with comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who during a visit to Dublin expressed optimism about the peace talks and the role the US is playing in them.

"We're trying to resolve (the war in Ukraine). I've ended eight wars. This would be the ninth, and our people are in Russia right now to see if we can resolve it," Trump said at a cabinet meeting.

"I'll tell you, it's not an easy situation. It's chaos," the US president added.

On Tuesday, Zelenskyy praised the speed of the peace negotiations in the Irish capital, which he said, along with US interest, is a reason for optimism.

"There was some optimism in my words because of the speed of the negotiations and the interest that the American side has in them. It turns out that America is not withdrawing from any form of diplomatic dialogue now, and that is good," he said.

In response to questions from reporters, Zelensky admitted that he was worried that the United States would lose interest."Russia's goal is to distract America from this situation," he said.

AFP recalls that Witkoff has met with Putin in Moscow several times this year. However, Trump's envoy has been criticized - including by the American opposition - for his approach in negotiations with the Kremlin, as the original version of the peace plan, which the White House says Witkoff also helped draft, was relatively accommodating to Moscow.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned on Tuesday that talks in Moscow could increase pressure on Ukraine to agree to concessions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is visiting Ireland, said he expected information from US envoys after the talks on the results of the meeting and whether talks on the US peace plan could move forward.

According to an AFP source from the Ukrainian delegation, the meeting between the two negotiators and Zelensky could take place as early as Wednesday in Brussels. However, no agreement has been reached on such a meeting yet.

Lunch and a walk through the center of Moscow

The Russian daily Izvestia published footage showing Witkoff entering the Kremlin grounds accompanied by Kirill Dmitriev. The Interfax news agency noted that Witkoff and Dmitriev did not arrive at the Kremlin by car, but walked like ordinary visitors.

Witkoff arrived in the Russian capital today, according to media reports. Another Russian news agency, TASS, later wrote that the American special envoy had lunch at a restaurant with Russian plenipotentiary Dmitriev and then walked through central Moscow.

Izvestia published a video showing Kushner, Witkoff and Dmitriev, walking through central Moscow near the Metropol Hotel, which is within walking distance of Red Square and the Kremlin, the newspaper added. The video ends with the group getting into cars.

Witkoff attended a meeting with Ukrainian negotiators in Florida on Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on the X network today that the draft of the November peace agreement to end Russia's war in Ukraine from Geneva was improved after subsequent talks between American and Ukrainian negotiators in Florida.