Moscow — Russian President Vladimir Putin has held an extended meeting with US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, joined by senior White House figures Jared Kushner and Josh Gruenbaum.

The talks, which lasted approximately four hours, were described by Aide to the President Yury Ushakov as “in-depth, constructive, and exceptionally frank.”

Gruenbaum, a White House Senior Advisor specialising in economic matters, attended the discussions for the first time as part of the US delegation.

According to Ushakov, the American representatives arrived in Moscow directly from Davos, where they had participated in events with President Trump, including discussions on the Ukraine settlement.

They provided Putin with first-hand accounts of those meetings, including impressions from Trump’s encounter with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The talks also covered recent US contacts in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, and several European capitals. Ushakov said the primary focus was to exchange information from these engagements and define next steps in Russia-US relations.

Security and Economic Working Groups to Convene in Abu Dhabi

A key outcome of the Kremlin meeting was agreement to launch a trilateral working group on security matters involving Russia, the United States, and Ukraine. The first session is scheduled for Friday, January 23, in Abu Dhabi.

Simultaneously, Abu Dhabi will host the inaugural meeting of a bilateral economic working group led by Kirill Dmitriev for Russia and Steve Witkoff for the United States. Russia’s security delegation will include senior Defence Ministry officials headed by Admiral Kostyukov.

Putin has reportedly issued specific instructions to the Russian team based on the discussions with the US side.

Commitment to Political Settlement, but Military Goals Continue

Ushakov said both sides reaffirmed that a lasting settlement of the Ukraine crisis would be impossible without addressing territorial issues under the “Anchorage formula.” Putin reiterated Russia’s commitment to a political and diplomatic resolution but stressed that military objectives of the “special operation” would continue until such a settlement is achieved.

Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ and Frozen Assets

The meeting also touched on Trump’s proposal for a “Board of Peace,” regional issues, and Greenland. Russia expressed readiness to contribute US$1 billion from frozen assets in the United States to the Board’s budget. Ushakov added that remaining frozen assets could be used to rebuild territories damaged during hostilities once a peace agreement is signed.

Future of Bilateral Relations

Beyond Ukraine, Ushakov said the talks explored the broader potential of Russia-US cooperation across various spheres. American representatives are reportedly considering plans that could be implemented after a settlement is reached.

The aide concluded that the Kremlin meeting was “useful in every sense” and confirmed that Moscow and Washington will maintain close contacts on Ukraine and other issues.