Putin refused to soften the territorial demands in negotiations with Witkoff and Kushner. The Guardian.
The Russian president continued to insist on full control of the four Ukrainian regions.
He also ruled out the possibility of deploying foreign peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, calling such a move "a continuation of the war."
Putin's comments appear to have seriously damaged hopes of a peace deal, after Dimir Zelensky said there was a "window of opportunity" to reach an agreement before the end of 2026.
Witkoff and Kushner's trip to Moscow was intended in part to secure European participation in future talks, according to two sources familiar with the talks.
After the meeting, Witkoff confirmed that European representatives will join the next round of negotiations.
On Friday, EU leaders are due to discuss who will speak for Europe, but have so far refused to appoint a single person to represent the bloc.
One of the EU officials said that the EU will be represented by its institutions when discussing issues related to the union, but did not attach much importance to the possibility of a quick appointment.
"Do I expect to reach an agreement on the appointment of a special representative? My answer is no, I don't expect it," said the source.