Moscow talks on Ukraine end with no deal

Russian President Vladimir Putin and a U.S. delegation led by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff held marathon talks in Moscow on Dec. 2, lasting about five hours, to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine. Reports indicate the negotiations failed to produce an agreement, as the sides remained deeply divided over key issues, including territorial disputes and security guarantees for Ukraine.

According to Russian state news agency TASS, Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy adviser to Putin, described the meeting as “useful and constructive” but added that “some provisions of the U.S. plan are unacceptable.” He also said discussions over Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia since the start of the war “did not produce a compromise.”

Russia claims it intends to annex the entire Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, which includes the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, citing the large ethnic Russian population there. In contrast, Ukraine and major Western European countries insist that territorial negotiations should be based on the current frontlines. According to Reuters, Russia currently controls about 88 percent of Donbas.

The meeting included President Vladimir Putin, adviser Yuri Ushakov, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, and Jared Kushner, former senior White House adviser and son-in-law of former President Donald Trump.

On the same day, President Vladimir Putin delivered a stark warning to major Western European nations at a separate investment forum. He said Europe would face immediate retaliation if it “wants war and starts it” and placed blame on both Europe and Ukraine for the stalled negotiations, accusing the continent of favoring conflict over peace.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky concentrated on diplomatic outreach to build international support. On the same day, he traveled to Dublin, Ireland, where he met with President Catherine Connolly and Prime Minister Michal Martin. Speaking at a press conference, Zelensky said, “There is now a greater opportunity than ever to end this war,” while cautioning that several issues remain unresolved, including territorial disputes and Europe’s frozen Russian assets.


Keun-Hyung Yoo noel@donga.com