US Envoys Witkoff, Kushner Arrive in Kyiv After Putin Talks as Washington Pushes for Ukraine Peace Deal

U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a day after holding more than three hours of discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The visit marks the envoys’ first official trip to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, and comes as Washington intensifies efforts to revive negotiations aimed at ending the war.

Witkoff and Kushner travelled to Kyiv by train from Poland and were welcomed by Zelenskyy near the historic St Sophia Cathedral. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was prepared for a “substantive conversation” and reiterated Kyiv’s interest in bringing the war to an end while securing guarantees for the country’s future security.

Their Kyiv visit follows a lengthy meeting with Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday. Russian and American officials described the discussions as substantive, constructive and candid, but no breakthrough or ceasefire agreement was announced.

According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, the American delegation presented ideas concerning possible routes toward a settlement and was expected to take Putin’s views into account during its subsequent discussions with Ukrainian officials.

However, Putin gave little indication that Moscow was ready to abandon its longstanding demands. Russian officials said he stressed the need to address what Moscow calls the “root causes” of the conflict and pointed to what he described as Russian military successes.

For Kyiv, one of the most important issues remains security guarantees that would prevent another Russian invasion following any eventual peace agreement.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine had prepared its proposals and wanted a peace settlement that would preserve the country’s security and dignity. Reuters reported that the future status of territory, particularly areas of the Donbas, remains one of the major obstacles in the negotiations.

The diplomatic push is taking place against the backdrop of continued fighting. Despite a temporary understanding to avoid missile strikes on the Russian and Ukrainian capitals during the envoys’ visits, attacks continued elsewhere.

Ukraine reported that Russia launched more than 100 drones and missiles overnight, while Russia said it intercepted hundreds of Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and occupied areas.

The continuing attacks underline the difficulty facing Washington as it attempts to move the two sides toward a negotiated settlement.

The Moscow-Kyiv shuttle by Witkoff and Kushner represents one of the most significant U.S. diplomatic efforts in recent months to restart stalled negotiations.

The pair’s Moscow meeting was aimed at reviving peace talks that had largely stagnated, while their subsequent discussions with Zelenskyy are expected to focus on Ukraine’s position and the practical steps required to move toward an agreement.

For now, there is cautious optimism but no clear evidence that Russia and Ukraine have overcome their fundamental disagreements.

The latest diplomatic mission therefore faces a difficult test: whether discussions between Washington, Moscow and Kyiv can translate into an actual ceasefire and, eventually, a lasting peace agreement.