5 hours in the Kremlin with no result: Trump has already decided who will replace Witkoff
3 December 10:46
ANALYSIS 
No breakthrough, but with “positive dynamics” – this is how Moscow describes the new round of talks on a peace plan for Ukraine. US Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in the Russian capital. The delegation was met at Vnukovo airport by presidential advisor Kirill Dmitriev, after which the American negotiators went to the Kremlin, where the discussion lasted almost five hours.
Ahead is a possible meeting between Vitkoff and Kushner and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Will they bring any proposals that could move the negotiations forward? And most importantly, are the United States and Russia ready to move toward real peace, not just a new round of diplomatic marathon?
The meeting, which started almost three hours late, was held in a narrow format: only Vitkoff, Kushner and translators from the American side; Putin, Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev from the Russian side. The Kremlin even released a video of the beginning of the talks, where Putin praises “the development of Moscow” and Vitkoff calls the city “incredible.”
Despite the scale of expectations, the parties did not reach any specific agreements. Ushakov admitted that there are no compromises, a meeting between Putin and the US president is not yet planned, but “the prospects for interaction are great.”
“No compromises have been found so far, and a meeting between the leaders of Russia and the United States is not planned at the moment. We did not discuss specific wording and decisions, but the essence. The parties see great prospects for cooperation,” Ushakov said.
Ushakov also commented on U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace initiative for Ukraine, which Vitkoff presented during the meeting:
“We are ready to agree with something. Something was criticized. But we had a useful discussion,” Ushakov emphasized.
At the same time, Russian politician Kirill Dmitriev, commenting on the results of the talks, called them “productive,” emphasizing the importance of continuing the dialogue between the two countries.
Vitkoff may be removed from the talks
American political strategist Jason J. Smart in an exclusive commentary
According to the expert, the talks in Moscow did not promise any real results from the very beginning.
“First, I did not expect anything from these talks. I think that the Kremlin wants to discredit Witkoff, which is why they leaked these tapes. But then, probably, Vitkoff will no longer be the main negotiator after this month, because he is simply unsuccessful,” Smart said.
The political strategist emphasized that the Russian government is not interested in ending the war and is using the negotiations to delay the process.
“The Kremlin does not want to create peace now, does not want to end the war. They want to continue. That’s why the talks in Moscow will not bring any results in the future,” said Jason J. Smart.
Jared Kushner is the new leader of the US negotiating team
Kushner has all the prerequisites to play a much more influential role than the current special envoy, Steve Vitkoff, says American political strategist Jason J. Smart.
“Jared Kushner may play a bigger role. But you have to understand that for Trump, the main thing is not whether a person is the most competent, but whether he is “his”. And in this case, of course, since he is Trump’s relative, Trump trusts him,” Smart said.
According to him, Kushner is not only a member of the former president’s inner circle, but also protects his personal interests, which makes him a natural candidate for increased influence in the negotiations.
“There is a potential for him to become the chief negotiator after Vitkoff,” Smart added.
What’s next
After talks in the Kremlin with Vladimir Putin, former US President Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner plan to travel to a European country to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Axios journalist Barack Ravid reports.
The meeting with Zelenskyy will depend on the outcome of the talks in Moscow. The Ukrainian president emphasized that he is ready for possible talks with Trump, but the main condition is the country’s security and guarantees against Russia’s re-invasion.
“Russia has started a war, and there are no alternatives to this wording. The whole world is a witness. They came with aggression to destroy us. We stopped them. Europe helped, America helped. Russia was unable to occupy Ukraine primarily because of the strength of Ukrainian people – soldiers and civilians – and, of course, thanks to our partners,” Zelenskyy said.
The President emphasized that Ukraine’s goal is to end the war so that Russia will not be able to return with a new invasion, and Ukrainians will have certainty and security for the future.
“What will happen tomorrow when our soldiers go home and become teachers, engineers, people of different professions again? They will come back, and Russia can continue to build up its military strength. That’s why we want certainty. This is what Ukrainians need,” the president added.
Earlier in Moscow, Vitkoff and Kushner held talks with Putin that lasted several hours, with only key mediators and translators in the delegations. Details of the talks have not yet been disclosed.
