Inside Putin’s Three-Hour Meeting with U.S. Envoys on Ukraine, and What First-Hand Evidence Shows

MOSCOW — December 2, 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin met for more than three hours in the Kremlin with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to discuss a refined U.S. peace framework for ending the war in Ukraine. The KREMLIN confirmed the meeting in its official schedule, listing Witkoff as the lead U.S. participant and noting that the discussion centered on international issues including the Ukraine conflict. Footage and public remarks released that same day also document Putin claiming that European governments were attempting to “block” the peace process by proposing what he described as unacceptable changes to the U.S.-linked framework.

The Moscow meeting came after a series of earlier discussions in the United States, where a larger 28-point framework was refined into a slimmer outline prepared for presentation to Russia. Attribution-based reports describe the U.S. delegation as carrying a roughly 20-point draft intended to be reviewed in Moscow. During the same period, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Dublin for official diplomatic meetings. In first-hand readouts from the PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE and the PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, Zelenskyy stressed that any peace agreement must be “fair and open” and warned that no decisions should be made “behind Ukraine’s back.” These statements reflect Ukraine’s official position as recorded in its own publications.

Putin’s accusation that Europe sought to obstruct the peace process is documented as something he said, but first-hand European documents point to a different emphasis. The EUROPEAN COUNCIL and EUROPEAN COMMISSION published joint statements in November expressing support for continued U.S. diplomatic efforts and identifying “important elements” of the U.S. plan that could contribute to “a just and lasting peace.” Their formal texts state two core conditions: that borders cannot be changed by force and that no future limitations on Ukraine’s military force structure should leave the country exposed to renewed aggression. These positions appear directly in official first-hand documents released by European institutions. None of these publications describe Europe seeking to stop peace talks. Instead, they outline the principles Europe believes must guide any settlement.

European institutions reinforced these positions throughout late November and early December. Official summaries from the EUROPEAN COUNCIL reaffirmed support for Ukraine’s diplomatic ten-point peace formula and insisted that any settlement must align with the UN Charter and Ukraine’s territorial integrity. These first-hand texts show consistent European support for negotiations when grounded in international law and Ukrainian sovereignty. They do not contain language supporting the idea that Europe intends to halt U.S. or Ukrainian engagement.

On the Ukrainian side, Zelenskyy’s statements in Dublin, published by the PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, emphasize both cooperation with the United States and firm boundaries regarding territorial concessions. He described the present moment as one of the most challenging yet potentially hopeful stages of the conflict, pointing to “active American involvement” as a central factor. His readouts do not suggest opposition to negotiations; they underline Ukraine’s insistence that any agreement must respect its sovereignty and its people’s security.

The Kremlin meeting took place amid continued fighting in multiple regions of Ukraine. Attribution-based reporting from international outlets documented Russian claims of battlefield advances and Ukrainian strikes on Black Sea targets during the same period. Russia also publicly repeated warnings about maritime security and its potential responses to strikes on shipping and energy infrastructure, positions reflected in Putin’s broader remarks on December 2. As of this writing, no detailed transcript of the closed Kremlin meeting has been published through official KREMLIN channels accessible to outside observers. For that reason, we cannot confirm which exact points of the U.S. framework were accepted, rejected, or deferred for further negotiation. Those specifics remain available only through attribution-based accounts and cannot be treated as first-hand evidence.

We also reviewed official statements from the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT and the EUROPEAN COMMISSION to determine whether any first-hand documents indicate an attempt to block the U.S. effort entirely. These institutions continue to emphasize close coordination with the United States, continued support for Ukraine’s defense, and a commitment to a peace settlement grounded in international law and Ukrainian sovereignty. None of their first-hand statements match Putin’s description of Europe seeking to halt negotiations. They do, however, confirm that European institutions oppose terms they believe would codify territorial losses for Ukraine or leave the country without meaningful long-term security.

No joint communique from the KREMLIN, WHITE HOUSE, or PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE has been released regarding the December 2 meeting. Attribution-based reports from multiple news agencies note that discussions will continue and that future high-level engagements may occur depending on outcomes from Moscow, but those details have not been formally published in first-hand government documents. As with all Appalachian Post reporting, we rely strictly on verified first-hand publications for confirmation and mark all attribution-based details as secondary.

Appalachian Post will continue reviewing first-hand material as more documents become available. At this stage, the confirmed record consists of Putin’s on-camera remarks in Moscow, Zelenskyy’s official statements in Dublin, first-hand European positions on the U.S. framework, and confirmation by the KREMLIN that the three-hour meeting occurred.

Our reporting always prioritizes first-hand government sources. Claims made in public speeches, interviews, or press events are documented as statements, not treated as verified facts unless primary evidence exists. When first-hand data cannot confirm a detail, we simply report that we could not confirm it, avoiding speculation or assumptions. Our goal is to return reporting to clarity, documentation, and transparency — the way it was intended.

Primary First-Hand Sources:
– KREMLIN – Official schedule confirming meeting with Witkoff and Kushner
– PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE – Dublin visit readouts and remarks from President Zelenskyy
– PRESIDENT OF IRELAND – Official statement on visit by President Zelenskyy
– EUROPEAN COUNCIL – Leaders’ statements on U.S. peace proposals and principles for a just settlement
– EUROPEAN COMMISSION – Published positions regarding conditions for Ukrainian sovereignty and security
– EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT – Official communications on peace requirements and support for Ukraine

Secondary Attribution-Based Sources:
– Reuters reporting on Putin’s public statements and the Moscow meeting
– Reuters and other outlets reporting on revisions to the U.S. peace framework
– Global news reporting on battlefield conditions and diplomatic activity surrounding the meeting