After a marathon sit-down with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, US President Donald Trump’s envoys – Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner – met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Sunday. Trump’s envoys carried to the Ukrainian capital whatever Moscow had just handed them.
US Envoys Witkoff and Kushner Hold ‘Encouraging’ Talks In Ukraine
Witkoff and Kushner held “encouraging” talks in Kyiv on Sunday. Following two rounds of discussion with the US officials, Zelenskyy said the goal was a “just, fair peace” that would ensure there was “never an opportunity to resume aggression against Ukraine.”
“We’ve had very meaningful discussion, substantive, important, and we’re very encouraged,” Witkoff said. Meanwhile, Kushner said that President Trump sees it as important “not just to figure out how do we end the current war,” but how do create the conditions for durable peace.
Zelenskyy said that next round of talks, scheduled for later Sunday, would bring in European representatives – British, French and German national security advisers.
No Breakthrough In Moscow After Talks With Putin
Witkoff and Kushner held three hours of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, they did not appear to secure a breakthrough. Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, described the talks as constructive, frank and useful, but he didn’t discuss specific outcomes of the meeting that was held behind closed doors.
“Economic issues and potentially large, mutually beneficial joint projects for Russia and America were discussed in considerable detail,” he said.
Temporary Halt In Escalating Strikes
In recent weeks, both Moscow and Kyiv have intensified long-range air strikes. Russia has pounded the Ukrainian capital day and night with missiles and drones, including an attack on Friday on the headquarters of the SBU security service.
Ukraine has inflicted damaging hits throughout the summer on Russian refineries, oil terminals and the warehouses of online retailer Wildberries, in an attempt to raise the cost to Moscow of continuing the war.
For the visit of US envoys, Putin and Zelenskyy had agreed to pause strikes on each other’s capitals.
(With agency inputs)