Witkoff–Kushner Diplomacy Stalls in Miami as Russia Presses for Concrete Outcomes

The Kremlin stressed the importance of understanding the outcomes of the work carried out by the United States and Ukraine following the recent Russian–American negotiations in Moscow. According to presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, the meeting between Vladimir Putin and the US president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff together with White House adviser Jared Kushner involved substantial and detailed discussions whose consequences now depend on follow-up actions by Washington and Kyiv.

Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Московский_Кремль,_вид_с_Дома_на_набережной.jpg by Semyon Borisov

Moscow Kremlin

Kremlin Wants Clarity After Follow-Up Talks with Kyiv

Peskov explained that after the Moscow meeting, Witkoff and Kushner held negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation led by Rustem Umerov. “Now it is important for us to understand the results of that work,” he said. He emphasized that Russia expects concrete information about the outcome of the discussions between the Ukrainian side and the American envoys in Miami.

Earlier, presidential aide Yury Ushakov said that the achievements of the Russian Armed Forces during the special military operation had created a more favorable atmosphere for dialogue with the United States.

Miami Talks Reportedly Hit a Dead End

According to Ukrainian officials cited by CNN, the US–Ukraine talks in Miami reached an impasse, producing no breakthroughs and leaving key questions unresolved. On December 6, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky met with Witkoff and Kushner, later describing the negotiations as difficult and far from straightforward.

Prospects for a US–Russia Reset

The Kremlin sees potential for restoring relations between Russia and the United States if existing bilateral disagreements can be resolved. Peskov, speaking to TASS, noted that removing the current irritants could open the way toward what he described as a “restoration” of relations. He added that resolving these contradictions could help lift the two countries out of their deeply entrenched crisis.

On December 2, Vladimir Putin held a five-hour meeting with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the Kremlin. The sides discussed the territorial aspects of the Ukrainian crisis, though no compromise has yet been reached.

Concerns Over Future US Policy

Peskov also acknowledged Russia’s concern that future American administrations might shift national strategy toward Moscow. Different US governments, he noted, take divergent approaches to foreign policy, making it difficult to predict long-term strategy. Nevertheless, he said that the provisions of the new US National Security Strategy “appeal” to Moscow and “fully correspond” to Russia’s own view, particularly the emphasis on dialogue and constructive relations.

On December 5, the White House released a new National Security Strategy outlining Washington’s long-term approach toward Russia. The document states that restoring strategic stability with Moscow is one of the United States’ top priorities in Europe.