Putin’s SDO (special diplomatic operation) meeting statements:
November 12, 2026, meeting in Moscow between Vladimir Putin, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner.
Opening remarks (from the official Kremlin transcript):
•He thanked the envoys and asked them to convey his gratitude to President Trump for arranging contacts with the Ukrainian side. He noted positive results on the humanitarian track, including prisoner exchanges, with another major step planned.
•He asked that thanks also be conveyed to First Lady Melania Trump for her involvement in the humanitarian operation in Aleshki (Oleshky) in the Kherson region.
•He requested the envoys’ assessment of the recent Abu Dhabi talks and their view of the European perspective.
On territory, “grey zones,” and peace:
•“As for the duration of the peace, its soundness and reliability, we also would like it to be permanent peace.”
•Territorial issues are viewed differently by the two sides. “For us, what matters most are the people who live there, their traditions, their culture and their right to live by their own rules, in accordance with their traditional values.”
•On Ukrainian proposals for “grey zones”: “This, as I have already said, will always be a bone of contention. For us, there is only one line of demarcation – the state border. That way, everything is clear and understandable: this is your side, and this is ours.” Discussions of grey zones lead to divergent interpretations, disputes, unstable agreements, and “no lasting peace.”
•He proposed a humanitarian mission in Konstantinovka (Kostiantynivka) in Donbas, modeled on the Aleshki operation. About 400–500 civilians remain; invite foreign (including American), Russian, and Ukrainian media plus human-rights commissioners from both sides. “If, as the Ukrainian authorities claim, they control this town, let them ensure security there. I believe this town is controlled by Russian troops. We will ensure security on our side. We need five days to demine the access roads.” This would also clarify control on the ground. “There is only one clear line – the state border.”
•Russia has never broken off dialogue with Europe; “it was the Europeans who broke off dialogue with Russia.”
•He called on the U.S. side to work with European allies so they decide “what they want: peace or war in Ukraine.”
•“We said from the very beginning that the presence of any foreign troops on Ukrainian territory is absolutely unacceptable for us, because we believe it threatens the security of the Russian Federation.”
Such forces would be a “legitimate target,” and their deployment after a peace deal would mean “the war will immediately resume” / a “continuation of war.”
I look forward to hearing what @willthiel@actfast have to say especially about the proposed ceasefire.
Join us again tomorrow Friday at Independence Ave and New Jersey by Longworth House Office building from 3-5pm.🍁
Keep calling your Representative and Senators and tell them to support Ukraine.
#CrimeaIsUkraine 🇺🇸 🇺🇦
@Volya4UA@Disinfolklore@HRL_YaleSPH Our @StateDept still hasn’t announced grant awards of Congress appropriated ~$15 million track for tracing, identifying, and returning Ukraine’s children.
Meanwhile Yale’s efforts depend on donations.
@jgotkowska@vonderburchard It seems like reinventing the wheel. The coalition of the willing has worked on what they can contribute to peace efforts for years.
To hear it will take consensus is exactly what Russia expects won’t happen.
So Russia insists on rolling back nations security arrangements to what they had before The NATO Russia Founding Act of 1997 although signed by Russia.
• It affirmed the principle that states have the right to choose their own security arrangements.
Countries that joined NATO after the Act was signed
• 1999: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland
• 2004: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia
• 2009: Albania, Croatia
• 2017: Montenegro
• 2020: North Macedonia
• 2023: Finland
• 2024: Sweden
So Russia insists on rolling back nations security arrangements to what they had before The NATO Russia Founding Act of 1997 although signed by Russia.
• It affirmed the principle that states have the right to choose their own security arrangements.
Countries that joined NATO after the Act was signed
• 1999: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland
• 2004: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia
• 2009: Albania, Croatia
• 2017: Montenegro
• 2020: North Macedonia
• 2023: Finland
• 2024: Sweden
I’ll continue to investigate who’s responsible for disrupting Starshield service—including the potential threat to our national security of our reliance on Musk’s system.
@Gerashchenko_en Russian troops occupying Ukraine is unacceptable to Ukrainians. Get out of Ukraine and then there would be no need for foreign troops in the rear. @KremlinRussia_E
In 2026 China plans to pay $248 per 1,000 cubic meters for Russian pipeline gas instead of around $560: a 56% discount. Russia under its great leader has driven itself into a situation where its pipeline gas has no buyer except China. Why pay more — for friendship?
@SenJohnBarrasso@SenateGOP I sure hope you’ll help address these issues. Americans want more support to Ukraine, not Putin. StarShield throttling is unacceptable. Use the NDAA to press our admin to help stop Putin!
@RepMcCaul@xtrixcyclex Thank you! We need Congress to act as soon as possible before more lives are lost. 🙏 Americans don’t want our government or corporations supporting russia’s brutal war of aggression or taking away key capabilities from Ukraine to defend itself.