U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Thursday for roughly two hours as part of renewed efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

The meeting followed two days of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi between U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian delegations. Those sessions marked the first direct discussions between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in nine months. The only concrete outcome from Abu Dhabi was an agreement on a major prisoner exchange, described by Kushner as potentially the largest of the conflict, though exact numbers remain pending.

After the Kremlin session, the envoys traveled to Dublin to brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Both sides expressed cautious optimism about a window for progress before the conflict reaches its fifth anniversary. Witkoff stated that Putin agreed to include European representatives in the next round of negotiations.

Kushner noted that the goal included securing Putin's support for broader European involvement in talks addressing continental security issues. Putin indicated Russia has long been open to EU participation but stressed that Washington must clarify whether European allies seek peace or continued war.

The developments come under the Trump administration, which has prioritized direct diplomacy to resolve the stalemate. Plans call for continued negotiations, with Europe now positioned to join rather than remain on the sidelines. Major differences persist on territorial questions and other core issues.

Zelensky described the prospect of European inclusion as important given the war's location and said he welcomed further rounds. Kremlin statements confirmed openness to dialogue while highlighting ongoing disagreements.