The US And Russia Have Not Found A Compromise Regarding The Occupied Ukrainian Territory

President Putin when receiving Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff at the Kremlin. (Kristina Kormilitsyna/Rossiya Segodnya via Kremlin)

JAKARTA - Russia and the United States negotiations linked to efforts to end the war in Ukraine on Tuesday failed to produce a breakthrough, mainly no compromise on occupied territory.

Russian President Vladimir Putin received US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in the Kremlin, after previously hinting that his troops were ready to continue fighting for the initial purpose of the Russian war.

This meeting is a crucial moment for Ukraine in what could be a tense week after days of tense diplomacy. The essence of this meeting is the US plan to realize peace, which has since been revised under pressure from Kyiv and its supporters in Europe.

Regarding the occupied Ukrainian territory, "so far we have not found any compromise, but some American solutions can be discussed," Russian Aide Yuri Ushakov said after a meeting at the Kremlin.

"Some of the proposed formulations are not in our line, and work will continue," he added.

Kushner and Witkoff told Putin a new version of the US plan, which had been discussed after the initial version raised concerns in Kyiv and elsewhere in Europe that the plan gave Moscow too much concession.

Ushakov said the initial US plan was broken down into four parts, which were discussed in a five-hour meeting in the Kremlin.

"There are several points we can agree on," he explained, but "the president has not hidden his critical, even negative attitude, we are against a number of proposals."

However, negotiations in Moscow are "attractable," Ushakov said, with Russia and the US position not getting further afterward.

Previously, President Putin had demanded that Kyiv surrender the territory Moscow claims as its own. The Kremlin has also rejected any European troop in Ukraine to monitor the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday any plans should end the war forever, and not only lead to a battle break that begins with Moscow's February 2022 attacks.

He also said in a post on social media, "there will be no simple solution."

"The important thing is that everything is fair and transparent. No games are played behind Ukraine. Nothing has been decided without Ukraine, about us, about our future," he said.

In his social media posts he said "The most difficult question is about the region, about frozen assets (Russia) and about security guarantees."

Separately, President Trump has previously said progress in ending the war that has lasted nearly four years will not be easy.

"Our people are currently in Russia to see if we can finish it," he said at a cabinet meeting at the White House.

"It's not an easy situation, believe me. It's really a mess," he said.

But in an interview broadcast late Tuesday on Fox News, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations with Russia had "reached some progress" to end the war with Ukraine.

It is known that the US initial peace plan, which contained 28 points disclosed last month, was in line with Moscow's demands, sparked allegations Russia was involved in its drafting, which Washington denies.

That raises concerns Europe, Washington, and Moscow could reach an unexpected deal or force Ukraine to provide an unfair concession.

President Putin later assessed Europe sabotaged the deal on the conflict and sent a clear message saying: "We have no plans to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants it and starts it, we are ready right now."

Witkoff himself has met with President Putin several times. However, US media reported this was the first time Kushner had joined negotiations with Moscow.