KYIV: US President Donald Trump’s top envoys have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, seeking a possible path towards ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. The meeting came just a day after the US team met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv for their first visit since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Zelensky welcomed them near St Sophia Cathedral, not far from the site of a recent Russian drone strike.
Witkoff described the discussions as important and “substantive”, saying the US delegation felt encouraged by the meeting. Kushner said Trump was “very determined” to bring the war to an end and had asked his envoys to find a way to create the conditions for a lasting peace, according to BBC News.
Zelensky said Ukraine was ready for serious negotiations and wanted to bring the war closer to an end. But he stressed that peace alone would not be enough. Ukraine, he said, would need firm security guarantees and a dignified settlement after the war.
The American envoys also praised the efforts of Britain, Germany and France in supporting the search for peace. Witkoff said the negotiations would continue “as long as it takes”, suggesting that Washington remains committed to keeping diplomatic channels open.
The Kyiv meeting followed three hours of closed-door talks between Witkoff, Kushner and Putin at the Russian president’s official residence in Moscow. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov described those discussions as “constructive” and “extremely frank”. He said the talks covered not only the war but also economic issues and possible future Russian-American projects.
However, the diplomatic efforts are unfolding while the fighting continues. Russia and Ukraine exchanged fresh strikes overnight. Ukraine said it had attacked an oil refinery, an airfield and two Russian air defence systems. Russia, meanwhile, launched 108 long range drones and cruise missiles at Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Ukrainian air defences reported intercepting most of them, although several areas were hit.
Russia still controls around one fifth of Ukrainian territory, much of it seized in 2022. Despite heavy losses, Russian forces have made only slow progress on the ground, while both sides have increasingly relied on long range attacks.
The latest diplomatic mission offers a small opening in a war that has brought enormous destruction and suffering. Whether the Moscow and Kyiv talks can turn that opening into a lasting peace remains uncertain, but for now, Washington is pressing both sides to keep talking.
