US Envoys Meet Zelenskyy, Hint at New Peace Negotiations

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday to meet with Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war. During the meeting, Witkoff told Putin their encounter would rank among his top memories in retirement.

• Witkoff said the Moscow meeting would be "right at the top" of his retirement memories.
• Kushner accompanied Witkoff for the Kremlin session with Putin.
• The stated goal of the trip was negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine.

Why it matters: Critics argued the flattery signaled weakness during sensitive diplomacy with a wartime adversary.

• Former National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor called the remarks "humiliating bootlicking," citing Russia's missile strikes on civilian targets.
• Economist Lars Christensen called Witkoff's comments a "disgrace."

How 56 sources split on this story

What’s next: No details on the meeting's outcome or next diplomatic steps were reported.

• Did the Moscow meeting produce any concrete ceasefire proposals or agreements?
• How did the White House respond to criticism of Witkoff's remarks?