MOSCOW, Jan 22 (Reuters): Russian President Vladimir Putin began a meeting with three U.S. envoys late on Thursday to discuss a plan to end the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin said.

Americans Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were accompanied by Josh Gruenbaum, newly appointed by President Donald Trump as a senior adviser to his Board of Peace, which is tasked with ending international conflicts.

Putin greeted the Americans shortly before midnight in Moscow after Trump said a deal was "reasonably close" and Witkoff said negotiations had come down to one last issue.

Minutes after the talks began, Russia said it had carried out a patrol of strategic bomber planes - something it regularly does as a show of strength and deterrence.

The defence ministry said the Tu-22M3 bombers - part of a long-range fleet that Russia has used throughout the war to fire missiles at Ukrainian cities, military targets and energy infrastructure - flew for more than five hours over the Baltic Sea, escorted by Russian fighter jets.

The Kremlin said Putin was joined, as at previous meetings with the U.S. side, by his foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov and special envoy Kirill Dmitriev.

Photo from Reuters