Talks "constructive," yet "no compromise" reached in Russia-US push for Ukraine peace

Moscow [Russia], December 3 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin held five hours of talks at the Kremlin with US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff on efforts to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine, but "no compromise" was reached on territorial issues, senior Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday.
Ushakov said the meeting was one of the most extensive exchanges between Washington and Moscow since the conflict began. He noted that both delegations reviewed potential paths toward a settlement, but key disputes remained unresolved.
"We are no closer to resolving the crisis in Ukraine, and there is much work to be done," he said, adding that discussions continued late into the night.
He confirmed that while fresh proposals were presented by the American side, major sticking points persisted around Ukrainian territory. Ushakov said senior Russian officials, including investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, were present for the talks, which examined multiple options for ending hostilities.
Ushakov stressed that the discussions would remain private. "The discussion was confidential," he said. "We agreed not to disclose the substance of the negotiations."
According to him, meaningful progress has yet to be achieved, but diplomatic engagement "continues." The Kremlin adviser also said Putin asked Witkoff to pass "a number of important political signals" directly to President Trump.
"They will present their findings to Trump and contact us," he said, indicating that further communication between the two governments is planned.
In Washington, Trump told a cabinet meeting that his representatives were in Moscow "to see if we can get it settled," while acknowledging that the situation is "not easy." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has been revising elements of the American peace framework to address concerns from Ukraine and European governments, said Witkoff's mission was aimed at moving negotiations forward.
Ahead of meeting the US delegation, Putin criticised European involvement in the peace process, accusing EU governments of submitting proposals "aimed at only one thing: to block the entire peace process altogether."
He said European demands were "absolutely unacceptable to Russia" and argued that they were obstructing Trump's diplomatic efforts. Putin also sent a warning to NATO countries, saying Russia would not start a conflict with Europe but if one erupted, "it would end so swiftly that there would be no one left for Russia to negotiate with."
He further threatened to limit Ukraine's maritime access in response to drone attacks on vessels linked to Russia's "shadow fleet." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Putin's remarks demonstrated a lack of interest in a genuine settlement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in Dublin, said Kyiv would evaluate the outcome of the Moscow discussions. "There will be no easy solutions. It is important that everything is fair and open, so that there are no games behind Ukraine's back," he said, adding that his government expected immediate updates from the US side.
The war, now in its fourth year, has seen Russia struggle to achieve its broader military goals while encountering strong Ukrainian resistance supported by the US and Europe. (ANI)