'Highly useful' but no breakthrough: What was discussed in Putin-US talks on Ukraine - The Times of India

**Putin‑US dialogue on Ukraine yields “useful” exchanges, but no breakthrough**

Moscow hosted a high‑level meeting on 22 April between Russian President Vladimir Putin and a delegation of U.S. envoys led by former White House adviser Jared Kushner and senior diplomat John Witkoff. The talks, held at the Kremlin’s “St. George” Hall, were framed as a “track‑two” effort to keep diplomatic channels open after months of stalled negotiations over the war in Ukraine. Both sides said they exchanged views on a range of issues, including a potential cease‑fire, the restoration of grain shipments from Black Sea ports, the release of prisoners of war and the broader question of security guarantees for Ukraine’s borders.

The Kremlin’s press secretary described the encounter as “highly useful” but stopped short of heralding any concrete progress. Officials noted that while the conversation reaffirmed Moscow’s willingness to discuss humanitarian corridors and the de‑mining of key territories, the United States maintained its demand for a full withdrawal of Russian forces as a pre‑condition for any substantive agreement. Analysts quoted by Reuters said the lack of a “breakthrough” underscores the deep mistrust that still defines the bilateral relationship and the limited leverage each side possesses on the ground.

Within days of the Moscow meeting, Kushner and Witkoff travelled to Kyiv for their first on‑the‑ground visit since the talks, meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky and senior Ukrainian officials. The Ukrainian side welcomed the engagement as a sign of continued international attention but warned that the war could stretch into the winter months, echoing Zelensky’s recent comments that a swift resolution remains unlikely. Observers, including the BBC and NDTV, noted that while the diplomatic overtures carry symbolic weight, the fundamental gaps—particularly over the extent of Russian troop withdrawal and the status of occupied territories—remain unresolved.

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