Witkoff, Kushner reach Moscow for Putin talks after overnight strikes
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Thursday to meet Vladimir Putin, hours after Russia and Ukraine traded drone and missile attacks on each other's capitals and a day after talks in Abu Dhabi ended with a prisoner-swap deal but no agreement on territory.
AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below
What happened
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow on Thursday ahead of a meeting with President Vladimir Putin later in the day, Reuters reported. Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev met them at Vnukovo airport and posted, "Welcoming Steve and Jared to Moscow." After Moscow, the two plan to fly to Ireland to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a meeting of European leaders.
Why it matters
It is the most direct U.S. push in months to turn the Abu Dhabi contacts into a deal, and it comes days before Trump's expected trip to the APEC summit in China, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said work is underway on a possible three-way meeting with Xi Jinping and Putin, Reuters reported. Kushner has said European partners must be at the table, Reuters reported.
More context
Overnight attacks: Russia's Defense Ministry said it carried out a "massive" strike on military factories across Ukraine, including a rocket plant in Kyiv. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a Russian drone hit a nine-story apartment building, killing one woman and injuring five. Ukraine sent drones toward Russia; Moscow's mayor said five were downed near the capital, and the ministry said 71 were shot down across Russia.
Timeline: Tuesday-Wednesday, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators held their first talks in nine months in Abu Dhabi and agreed in principle on a large prisoner exchange, with numbers due Thursday. U.S. mediators said major differences remained, including territory. Wednesday, Zelenskiy said progress depended on how Washington approaches Moscow. Thursday, the envoys arrived in Moscow as the strikes ended.
What would change the story: A Kremlin or White House readout with concrete terms, a date and numbers for the prisoner exchange, or a pause in strikes on energy and cities. Neither side has publicly moved on territory.
5 listed sources
- Reuters via ThePrint (Jekaterina Golubkova), Russia, Ukraine exchange attacks on capitals as US envoys land in Moscow, Nov. 12, 2026
- Reuters via The Star, Russia says it launched a massive overnight strike on Ukrainian military factories, Nov. 12, 2026
- Reuters World News Summary via Devdiscourse, Nov. 12, 2026
- Reuters via Devdiscourse, US says China agreed importance of leader-level talks to advance denuclearization, Nov. 12, 2026
- Anadolu Agency (Turkish state-run), Morning Briefing: Nov. 12, 2026
References listed by US Brief; a source count is not a verification score.
Editorial sourcing notes
Strike claims are from the Russian Defense Ministry, Kyiv's mayor, a Rivne regional official and Moscow's mayor, as reported by Reuters; they were not independently verified. The Putin meeting had not taken place at publication. The hero photo shows the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower (file photo, July 2026).
Like US Brief? You can support it with a tip.