Senior Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said that the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. special envoy Steve Whitcomb were "constructive and useful." The two met in Moscow two days before the expiration of the ultimatum set by U.S. President Donald Trump to reach an agreement to end the war with Ukraine, and discussed for about three hours. According to Ushakov, the parties discussed the conflict in Ukraine and improving Russia-U.S. relations.