Putin Signals Openness to Europe Talks With US Envoys in Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed openness to talks with Europe on Ukraine during a Kremlin meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Thursday, also proposing a joint Russian-Ukrainian humanitarian operation to evacuate residents of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka. Witkoff described the meeting as important and said trilateral talks were resuming, expressing confidence that the next meeting would include Europeans. Kushner noted a "big change" in European attitudes, while Putin said Russia was never against dialogue with Europe, suggesting the US first determine whether Europeans want peace or war. The question of who would lead European negotiations remains unresolved, with Germany, Britain, and France currently involved indirectly, though EU institutions and Italy have criticized this arrangement. EU Council President Antonio Costa said work would continue in different formats, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the focus should be on Putin's willingness to talk rather than on selecting a single European representative.