MOSCOW REJECTS AMENDED PLAN
Kushner and Witkoff have been to current Putin with the brand new model of the US plan, which has been hammered out after the preliminary model raised fears in Kyiv and elsewhere in Europe that it made too many concessions to Moscow.
Ushakov stated the preliminary US plan was damaged down into 4 components, which have been mentioned throughout the five-hour assembly within the Kremlin.
“There have been some factors we may agree on,” the highest Putin diplomatic aide stated, however “the president didn’t disguise our crucial, even damaging, stance on plenty of proposals”.
Putin has demanded that Kyiv give up territory Moscow claims as its personal. The Kremlin additionally rejects any European drive in Ukraine to watch a truce.
In his social media submit, Zelenskyy stated “essentially the most tough questions are about territories, about frozen (Russian) belongings … And about safety ensures”.
Nonetheless, the talks in Moscow have been “helpful”, Ushakov stated, and Russia and US positions didn’t turn into additional aside after it.
RUSSIAN PRESSURE
Putin appeared to ship a hawkish message shortly earlier than the US talks started.
He stated that Pokrovsk – an east Ukrainian stronghold that Russian forces say they not too long ago captured – was a “good foothold for fixing all of the duties set in the beginning of the particular navy operation”, utilizing the Kremlin’s time period for the struggle.
Aside from Pokrovsk, Kyiv is beneath stress on a number of fronts.
Russian forces superior swiftly in November in japanese Ukraine, and Kyiv has been rocked by corruption scandals that ended with the resignation of its top negotiator on the conflict – Zelenskyy’s right-hand man.
Moscow has additionally stepped up drone and missile assaults on Ukraine in current weeks, leaving lots of of hundreds with out electrical energy and heating, with Zelenskyy accusing the Kremlin of making an attempt to “break” his nation.
The Russian chief additionally accused Europe of sabotaging a deal on the battle and despatched a grim message, saying: “We aren’t planning to go to struggle with Europe, but when Europe needs to and begins, we’re prepared proper now.”
Zelenskyy has stated he expects to debate key points with the US president and steered Moscow’s actual motivation for the US talks was to ease Western sanctions.
KUSHNER INCLUDED
Europe is frightened that Washington and Moscow may strike a deal over its head or drive Ukraine into making unfair concessions.
The unique 28-point US plan revealed final month hewed so intently to Moscow’s calls for that it prompted accusations that Russia was concerned in drafting it, which Washington denied.
Bloomberg final month reported on an audio recording displaying that Witkoff helped coach Russian officers on how Putin ought to converse to Trump.
Witkoff has met with Putin a number of instances, however US media reported that it was the primary time that Kushner, who additionally helped dealer a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza earlier this 12 months, has joined talks with Putin.
