Moscow, Sept. 5 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday (local time) met US Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, at the Kremlin as Washington steps up diplomatic efforts aimed at advancing a settlement to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Putin welcomed Witkoff and Kushner at the start of the meeting and described the situation they were discussing as "a difficult one", while asking the US envoys to convey his "best wishes and words of gratitude" to Trump.

"The situation we are to sort out today is, of course, a difficult one," Putin said.

"But before we begin, I would like to ask you to convey my best wishes and words of gratitude to the President of the United States,...