US Envoys Leave Moscow With No Ukraine Breakthrough

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner left Moscow after talks with Vladimir Putin, with their Ukraine peace mission appearing to yield no tangible progress. The visit coincided with Donald Trump's push for a diplomatic achievement ahead of the US midterm elections. Trump's renewed focus on the Ukraine conflict stems from his inability to showcase successes in Iran, where his policy is seen as stalled or failing. Kremlin analysts suggest Putin has no incentive to grant Trump a political victory, though he maintains cordial relations without conceding substantive concessions. Moscow believes Ukraine's weakening air defense creates a strategic advantage, and that Kyiv must face consequences before negotiations can align with Russian demands. The envoys' mission is viewed as both premature and outdated, given shifting battlefield dynamics and Zelensky's continued resistance.