President Trump’s envoys went to Moscow on Thursday to seek agreement from President Vladimir V. Putin to bring Europe into talks on the war in Ukraine, as the Kremlin pushes to widen the negotiations to overhaul European security arrangements.
The envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived in Russia one day after mediating peace talks in Abu Dhabi between Russian and Ukrainian representatives, who spoke directly for the first time in nine months. After meeting with Mr. Putin in the Kremlin, they were scheduled to travel to Dublin to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.
Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner are pressing to involve Europe in the talks as Russia makes clear that it will not consider a cease-fire until its broader demands to redraw Europe’s security architecture are addressed.
The Trump administration, seeking a foreign policy win after Republicans’ drubbing in the midterm elections, is making another push for peace even as Russia gives no indication that it will stop the war anytime soon, and in fact appears to be hardening some positions.
Russia has intensified attacks on Ukrainian cities ahead of a winter bombing campaign, taking advantage of Ukraine’s lack of air defenses. On Thursday, Mr. Zelensky said that Ukraine’s armed forces again faced restrictions on Starshield, the military version of the satellite internet network Starlink, and had asked U.S. officials for information.
For Europe, getting involved in direct negotiations would be a departure from its long-held position that Russia must stop fighting first. But European officials also insist on a seat at the table if talks expand to include questions of Europe’s security.
At the Kremlin, Mr. Putin told Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner that he was eager to hear their assessments from “a European perspective” after their with European officials in recent weeks, including in Abu Dhabi.
Mr. Putin has vented at European nations as they have replaced the United States as Ukraine’s biggest backer, asserting that it is Europe, not Russia, that wants war. On Thursday, Mr. Putin signaled to the American envoys that he was not ready for an easy compromise and that if Russia spoke with Europe’s representatives, negotiations would be tough.
“We would very much like you, distinguished gentlemen, and the American administration as a whole, to work with your European allies so that they finally make up their minds on the question of what they want: peace or war in Ukraine,” Mr. Putin said.
The Americans struck more hopeful notes. Mr. Kushner said the American side had seen “a big change with the Europeans” and “there is strong momentum and desire to engage together.” Mr. Witkoff said the American delegation was optimistic that “we can announce shortly” the next trilateral meeting, which “will include the Europeans.”
On Thursday, President Alexander Stubb of Finland said “there is a real possibility that the Europeans will be around the table, and I think that would be progress in and of itself.” Last month, Mr. Putin held a call with Mr. Stubb and his Norwegian counterpart that some other European leaders denounced as endangering unity on Russia.
European Union leaders plan to debate who should speak on their behalf at a lunch in Dublin on Friday, though they agreed there on Thursday that a European presence was critical.
“Europe’s security cannot be discussed without a European voice at the table,” Antonio Costa, president of the E.U. political leadership arm, said at the gathering. He added that when it comes to Europe’s security architecture, “there is no need to reinvent the wheel,” stressing the importance of features like inviolable frontiers and peaceful settlement of disputes.
If Europe joins the talks, said Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, it could be interpreted by Mr. Putin as a sign that his tactic of waiting out the Europeans for concessions is working.
On Wednesday, speaking at a security conference in Moscow, Aleksei Drobinin, a senior Russian diplomat, outlined proposals that he said could satisfy Moscow’s security demands regarding Europe.
Mr. Drobinin said Russia could sign bilateral agreements with European states that, “in substance, meet the criteria of mutual nonaggression pacts,” or reach “political agreements on mutually refraining from supporting each other’s adversaries in the event of aggression.” He compared these potential accords to agreements Russia has signed with Belarus, Iran and North Korea.
The Americans are seeking a sweeping agreement that would bundle questions of a cease-fire, security and territory. Speaking at the Kremlin, Mr. Putin dismissed Ukrainian assertions that he was being fed inflated claims about how much territory Russian troops controlled in Ukraine.
Mr. Putin offered to conduct a humanitarian mission in Kostiantynivka, a Ukrainian city contested by Russia and Ukraine. The effort would be similar to the recent cease-fire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky. Brokered by the U.S. first lady, Melania Trump, that mission was the longest localized cease-fire since 2022 and helped evacuate hundreds of civilians.
Mr. Putin said such a mission would prove a point on Russia’s territorial gains. “At the same time,” he said, “we will see who controls that settlement.”
Jeanna Smialek contributed reporting.
