DIPLOMATIC BRIEF: Kremlin Confirms Ongoing Talks with Trump Team; Direct Conflict Risk Recedes

MOSCOW — The Kremlin formally signaled its intent on Friday to continue high-level negotiations with the Trump administration, a move that significantly lowers the immediate risk of direct military confrontation between the two superpowers.

Kremlin Foreign Policy Aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that Moscow is "ready to work further" with the current U.S. team. This declaration serves as a critical de-escalatory signal following the high-stakes, five-hour summit held on December 3 between Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Ushakov characterized the talks as "useful" and "constructive," suggesting that while friction remains, diplomatic channels are functioning sufficiently to preclude a kinetic breakdown in the near term.

However, substantial barriers to a final settlement remain. Ushakov noted that "no compromise option has been found" regarding the specific terms of a peace deal, specifically concerning the status of occupied Ukrainian territories. Moscow continues to link its negotiating posture to "successes of the Russian army on the battlefield," indicating that the Kremlin expects U.S. concessions on sovereignty—a condition Washington has yet to officially meet.

The focus now shifts to the U.S. delegation’s shuttle diplomacy. Following the Moscow meetings, the Trump team is reportedly preparing to brief Ukrainian officials, with discussions potentially slated for Florida. While this sustains momentum, the logistical and diplomatic hurdles suggest that a direct summit between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin on U.S. soil remains unlikely before the year concludes.

By confirming the continuation of talks, the Kremlin has effectively pivoted the conflict's immediate trajectory away from direct U.S.-Russia escalation and back toward complex, protracted territorial negotiations.