Ukraine's NATO Bid: Why It Dominated Secret US-Russia Talks in Moscow

Putin's top adviser Yury Ushakov said the nearly five-hour talks held a day earlier with US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner did not produce a breakthrough on efforts to advance peace negotiations over Ukraine, but noted that the issue of Kyiv's NATO aspirations featured prominently, Al Jazeera reported.

"The American partners have confirmed their readiness to take into account our considerations and our key proposals," Ushakov told reporters.000

Kyiv has long maintained that joining NATO is essential for ensuring its security against future Russian aggression. Moscow, however, insists that Ukraine must never be permitted to enter the Western military alliance, calling it a core security concern, Al Jazeera reported.

Ushakov said that "no compromise" was reached on territorial issues, while describing the meeting as 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 Wednesday 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.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the Moscow meeting was "reasonably good" but it's unclear what happens now, Al Jazeera reported.

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."

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.

- ANI