Putin Sees "Useful Meetings", the U.S. Should See a Trap Set for Inexperienced Negotiators

"Reports from Moscow suggest that U.S. representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are "optimistic" about the prospect of results from their discussion with Kremlin officials this week. But after months of fruitless negotiations, if they are optimistic about achieving a negotiated solution to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, they have little reason for it, given comments from Russian officials on the Moscow discussions."

"If, as has been recently suggested to me, a central priority behind Kusher and Witkoff's participation in negotiations (instead of relying on more experienced U.S. diplomats with a record of dealing with autocrats like Vladimir Putin) is to secure business deals in Russia following the conclusion of hostilities, then both the negotiations over Ukraine's future and future business deals in Russia will prove to be fool's errands, the former first and the latter over time."

"Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov described the meeting between Putin and the U.S. representatives as "very useful, constructive, and highly substantive." At the same time, he said no compromise on a peace plan was reached. He went on to note that Russia wants peace, but only if its objectives are met and reiterated that Moscow insists on achieving the goals of its "special operation.""

"Peskov's remarks are not surprising as they are completely consistent with the narrative that Putin has pushed before and during his ill-fated invasion of Ukraine. As if to emphasize the Kremlin's rejection of the Kushner-Witkoff mission, Putin launched one of the largest drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, probably while the U.S. representatives were still in the air flying home."

U.S. representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff reportedly express optimism about outcomes from talks with Kremlin officials despite months of fruitless negotiations. Doubts exist about their capacity to secure a negotiated solution to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A purported priority of their participation is securing business deals in Russia after hostilities, which would likely fail if political objectives remain unmet. Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov called the meeting "very useful, constructive, and highly substantive" yet said no peace compromise was reached and insisted Russia seeks peace only if its objectives are met. Russia continues to press goals framed as its "special operation" and has maintained aggressive military actions.

Read at The Cipher Brief