U.S. envoys meet Ukrainian leaders after talks with Putin
U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv for discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, as both sides continue aerial attacks.
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Kyiv on Sunday, marking their first official visit to Ukraine since the war began. Their trip followed a three-hour closed-door meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday, where no concrete outcomes were announced.
Zelenskyy said his government is prepared for "constructive" talks with the American officials and emphasized the need for security guarantees and a sustainable post-war settlement. "We are interested in bringing the end of the war closer. Peace is needed. Security guarantees are needed. A just and sustainable postwar peace is needed. Our proposals are prepared," he posted on Telegram.
The envoys were received at the train station by senior Ukrainian officials and later met Zelenskyy at a ceremony in St. Sophia Square. Kyiv’s chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, noted that representatives from France, Germany and the United Kingdom were also present in the city.
A senior Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously, said two rounds of discussions with the U.S. envoys had taken place and a third meeting with European representatives was under way, focusing on how to manage the approaching winter.
In Moscow, Putin’s foreign-policy adviser Yuri Ushakov described the talks as "constructive, frank and useful," adding that economic issues and potential joint projects between Russia and the United States were discussed in detail.
Despite an agreement between the leaders to pause strikes on each other's capitals during the negotiations, both sides exchanged fire overnight. Russian attacks killed one person and injured at least ten in Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces intercepted 82 of 108 drones launched by Russia. In Russia’s Belgorod region, a Ukrainian drone strike killed one man and wounded a woman.
In Kyiv, a nationwide moment of silence was observed at 9 a.m. to honor fallen soldiers. Some citizens expressed hope that the diplomatic efforts would end the conflict, while others remained skeptical of the impact of the visits.