Two special envoys dispatched by President Donald Trump met Sunday in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, marking their first visit to Ukraine's capital in their roles as peace negotiators. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and former senior adviser, and Steve Witkoff, a real estate investor and Trump confidant, are leading the White House's renewed diplomatic effort to broker an end to the three-year conflict.
Ahead of the meeting, Zelensky indicated that Ukraine has prepared detailed proposals for ending the war. "Security guarantees are necessary. Dignified post-war peace is required. Our proposals have been formulated," he stated, emphasizing that a window of opportunity exists before Washington becomes consumed with upcoming presidential elections.
The Kyiv visit followed a Saturday meeting in Moscow where the American envoys spent more than three hours in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. The talks, which concluded near midnight, did not produce an immediate breakthrough. Putin characterized the session as "very useful," while the White House indicated that next steps would be revealed in coming weeks.
At the opening of the Moscow meeting, Putin thanked the Trump administration for its mediation efforts. "The situation we are dealing with today is certainly complex," he told the envoys. Putin asked them to convey a message to Washington: "Before we begin, I would like to ask you to pass on my warmest greetings and words of gratitude to the President of the United States, Donald Trump." He added that despite understanding Trump "is stepping into a generally complex situation, he nevertheless continues his efforts to help achieve a settlement and make his contribution to resolving the conflict."
Witkoff opened the American side's remarks with a personal note to the Russian leader, saying: "Thank you very much for hosting us. We were just sitting outside, me, Jared and Kirill, and then Yuri joined us, and we were all talking about how when you retire you'll have all these amazing memories and amazing stories, and yours will be right at the top."
Following the meeting, Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov described the discussion as "businesslike, constructive, exceptionally open and conducted in a spirit of trust." Ushakov said the American representatives "outlined a number of ideas and considerations regarding possible paths to a settlement" and committed to incorporating Putin's feedback during their discussions in Kyiv.
The Kremlin announced a suspension of air strikes on Kyiv through Monday, with Zelensky declaring that Ukraine would simultaneously halt attacks on Moscow. However, fighting continues along the front lines, and Ukraine reported overnight strikes on an oil refinery in Russia's Ryazan region.
On the streets of Kyiv, residents expressed cautious hope despite persistent gaps between the sides, particularly regarding the future of the Donbas region. Stepan Yermak, a military veteran from Kyiv, said: "The matter can be resolved in an instant. We want peace. I fought myself, so I know what war looks like. We need peace, because there is no other way."
Svetlana Korilenko, a 19-year-old resident, stressed the importance of long-term commitment from major powers. "We need an agreement that will never be broken. Just leave Ukraine in peace and let people live peacefully," she said. National security advisers from Britain, France and Germany were also present in the capital.
