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US envoy's meeting with Putin ends with no breakthrough on Ukraine war

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 03 December 2025 8:24 AM

A five-hour meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff has concluded without any agreement on a plan to resolve the nearly four-year war in Ukraine, despite both sides describing the talks as "productive."

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday that the talks, which also included US President Donald Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, were "extremely useful, constructive, and highly informative."

However, he acknowledged that Moscow and Washington remain "no closer" to a peace deal, without disclosing details of the conversation.

Ushakov further said that the main sticking point continues to be territorial issues.

Russia has been pressing Ukraine to cede control of hundreds of square kilometers of land, a demand consistently rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"Without addressing territorial issues, we see no resolution to the crisis," Ushakov said.

He also noted that Russia has reviewed a revised US 28-point peace proposal along with four supporting documents, adding that while Moscow is open to accepting "some elements," it remains critical of others.

Earlier, Putin described the US plan as "unacceptable" in its current form and accused European governments of undermining American-led diplomatic efforts.

Unresolved issues also include NATO-related guarantees, specifically Russia's request for assurances that Ukraine will never join the alliance.

The latest meeting follows a series of US-led discussions in Geneva and Florida aimed at revising the peace plan, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying that while some progress has been made, "more work remains to be done."

However, key European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have insisted they will reject any settlement negotiated without Ukraine and Europe's involvement.

Zelensky has also called for transparency in the process, warning against any "games played behind Ukraine's back."

Despite the lack of a breakthrough, Ushakov emphasized that neither side had moved further apart and both expressed willingness to continue negotiations, adding that future meetings between Putin and Trump would depend on progress by their diplomatic teams.

Witkoff's visit, marking his sixth trip to Moscow this year, ended with Russian media reporting that he returned directly to the US Embassy after the talks.

Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev summed up the lengthy meeting in a single word on social media: "Productive."

Zelensky, addressing the press in Dublin on Tuesday, acknowledged that territorial questions would be "the most difficult" aspect of any future settlement but reiterated Ukraine's desire for a "fair and open" resolution to the conflict, alongside "solid security guarantees."