14JUN

Witkoff and Kushner meet Putin with no result

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11:42UTC

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Putin in Moscow on 5 September and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on 6 September. Moscow announced no result from more than three hours of talks.

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Key takeaway

Three hours with Putin produced no announced result, and Lavrov ruled out pausing operations.

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 5 September and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on 6 September, and Moscow announced no result from more than three hours of talks.

Sergei Lavrov told reporters on 12 September that Russia is ready to negotiate but will not suspend military operations while it does. Read that as the Russian position rather than a concession: Moscow treats talking and shooting as compatible policies, so the talks cost the campaign nothing. Zelenskyy has offered to meet Putin at the G20 summit in Miami in December.

Washington's involvement has run mostly through weapons rather than terms. Trump and Rutte expanded the allied purchase mechanism in July, and the money has kept moving while the negotiating track has not. Three hours in Moscow produced no communiqué, and no date has been set for a further round.

Deep Analysis

In plain English

Two US envoys met separately with the Russian and Ukrainian presidents within a day of each other, but Moscow announced no outcome from the talks. Russia's foreign minister says his country will keep negotiating without pausing its military operations, while Ukraine's president has floated meeting Putin at a global summit in December.

Sources:Associated Press

Mentions:Steve Witkoff →Jared Kushner →Vladimir Putin →Volodymyr Zelenskyy →Miami →Lavrov →Russia →Washington →Kyiv →Ukraine →Moscow →

First Reported In

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Associated Press· 13 Sept 2026

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Causes and effects

This Event

Witkoff and Kushner meet Putin with no result

Sergei Lavrov said on 12 September that Russia will negotiate without suspending military operations, which treats talking and shooting as compatible policies.

Led to

Witkoff's Miami talks end a day early

Witkoff and Kushner returned to Ukraine talks after their September Moscow and Kyiv round produced no announced result.

Occurred 9 Oct 2026

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Putin offers November talks, aide says

Witkoff's September meeting with Putin ended without an announced result; this one produced a Kremlin date.

Occurred 21 Oct 2026

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Different Perspectives

United States (Joint Maritime Information Center)

The JMIC, the US-led naval reporting cell, rated the Hormuz threat "severe" in its 25 October advisory, as reported by gCaptain, and warned of possible renewed mining. Eight days earlier it found no substantiation for the Guards' mine claims, while US-facilitated transits ran at about 34 a day.

United Kingdom (CPS and Counter Terrorism Policing)

The CPS charged two men under the National Security Act 2023 over the RAF Fairford incident, and Counter Terrorism Policing said it believes the foreign intelligence service involved is Iran's, LBC reported. The case now runs through the courts; both men are charged, not convicted.

Aden and Yemen's recognised government

The Houthis told people to leave Aden airport, in the government-held south, before a missile fell there on 28 October, AFP reported, and police reported a second attack that afternoon. The fight between Riyadh and the Houthis is landing on the south's main civilian airport.

Qatar (mediators)

Qatar-led mediators put new terms to Iran this week, which an Iranian official called "ideas, not a proposal". Riyadh framed the Tehran meeting as support for Qatari and Pakistani mediation, keeping Doha at the centre of the indirect channel.

Korea Shipowners' Association

The association said the ships Iran listed were sub-chartered to an overseas oil company, not owned by Sinokor, carried no South Korean crew, and that Sinokor was unaware of the warning. South Korea's shipowners are contesting whose vessels the notice covers before it takes effect.

Kuwait (foreign ministry)

Kuwait summoned Iran's ambassador, Mohammad Toutounji, and handed him a protest note over the embassy's denial that its citizen took part in the alleged plot against Interior Minister Fahad Al-Yousef. Kuwait is answering through its courts and a diplomatic protest, citing international law and the UN Charter.

Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Editorial standards.