U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, traveled to Kyiv to urge Ukrainian and Russian officials to return to negotiations following “substantive” discussions. This marks the first visit to Kyiv by the two key Trump aides since the conflict began. Although Sunday’s talks yielded no major breakthroughs, Witkoff expressed confidence regarding a positive resolution. The visit followed rigorous meetings held by Witkoff and Kushner with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on September 5 as part of a renewed U.S. push to end the war.
Pushing for a Trilateral Dialogue Format:
During a news conference in Kyiv, Kushner highlighted the value of returning to a trilateral format similar to one used six months prior. He noted that direct trilateral talks eliminate the need for the U.S. to act as an intermediary speaking on behalf of Ukraine or Russia. Reflecting on previous rounds of negotiations, Kushner stated that participants communicated directly and in a friendly manner using the Russian language. Washington has discussed this approach with both parties, with hopes for imminent progress.
Describing his recent trip to Russia, Witkoff characterized the conversation with Putin as “good” and “concrete”. He emphasized that maintaining communication and relationships with both sides is essential for achieving a peaceful resolution.
Multilateral Discussions and European Participation:
The U.S.-Ukraine discussions concluded on Sunday evening after two rounds of talks, followed by a third round that included European representatives. According to Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the Ukrainian Presidency, officials from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany participated in the meetings in Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine, Europe, and the U.S. plan to meet again in the near future.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy shared moments from the joint press conference, describing all three rounds of talks as “very substantive” and expressing gratitude to the U.S. President, Witkoff, and Kushner. He highlighted discussions addressing upcoming winter challenges, energy sector support, and defense reinforcement in collaboration with American and European partners. Concurrently, during the envoys’ visit, Russia and Ukraine enacted a 72-hour temporary ceasefire focused on halting airstrikes on each other’s capitals, though Ukrainian Air Force reports indicated that Russian strikes persisted while bypassing Kyiv.
