Russian television pundits have mocked US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner following their recent visits to Kyiv and Russia, questioning their seriousness and priorities.
Pundits question envoys' focus
Americanist Rafael Ordukhanyan, speaking on a Russian TV show, suggested Witkoff is too busy "buying the Los Angeles Lakers" and ironically wondered whether he found time for business deals between political negotiations.
Ordukhanyan said: "I have a question. Is he resolving global conflicts in his free time between business deals, or is he making deals in his free time between resolving global issues?"
He added: "I am under the impression he will deal with Ukraine in between buying the Los Angeles Lakers for $12.5 billion. This is not serious. These people don't know politics."
Criticism from fellow pundits
Journalist Michael Bohm, another pundit on the show, said: "The only point of Witkoff and Kushner's visit is to attempt to explain, once again, why Russia can't be forced into peace."
Nikolai Starikov, founder of the Great Fatherland Party, added that "our best negotiators are our soldiers, diplomats should remember this".
Meetings with Putin and Zelenskyy
Witkoff and Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than three hours. The Kremlin later described the talks as "highly useful", though no details of any agreement were announced.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the two men were carrying a new proposal aimed at ending the conflict. On Sunday, Witkoff and Kushner also met President Zelenskyy.
The visit came after Putin ordered Russian forces not to strike Kyiv for three days from midnight Saturday, followed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's order not to attack Moscow through Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
The meetings also came after weeks of intense and heavy fighting. It is understood Putin told the American envoys that the situation was "not simple".
