Kremlin hails 'constructive' US talks on Ukraine conflict

Talks between Russia and the United States aimed at ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine were constructive, but there is still much work to be done, said Yuri Ushakov, a senior adviser to President Vladimir Putin, during a briefing with reporters today.

Both sides agreed not to disclose the substance of the talks.

Mr Ushakov called the five-hour conversation “rather useful, constructive, rather substantive,” but added that the framework of the US peace proposal was discussed rather than “specific wording.”

Asked whether peace was closer or further away after these talks, Mr Ushakov said: “Not further, that’s for sure.”

“But there’s still a lot of work to be done, both in Washington and in Moscow. That’s what’s been agreed upon. And contacts will continue,” the official said.

Mr Putin’s aide also said that “so far, a compromise hasn’t been found” on the issue of territories, without which, he said, the Kremlin sees “no resolution to the crisis.”

“Some of the American proposals seem more or less acceptable, but they need to be discussed. Some of the wording that was proposed to us doesn’t suit us. So, the work will continue,” Mr Ushakov said.

There were other points of disagreement, although Mr Ushakov did not provide further details.

He said: “We could agree on some things, and the president confirmed this to his interlocutors.

“Other things provoked criticism, and the president also didn’t hide our critical and even negative attitude toward a number of proposals.”

The meeting came days after US officials held talks with a Ukrainian team in Florida and which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described in cautiously optimistic terms.