U.S. Envoys Hold Ukraine Peace Talks as Fighting Continues
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday, describing their first official visit to Ukraine as encouraging. The discussions formed part of Washington’s renewed effort to negotiate an end to Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its fifth year.
The Kyiv meetings followed more than three hours of talks between the American envoys and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Russian officials called those discussions constructive but announced no major breakthrough. They said the agenda included Ukraine, economic matters and possible joint projects between Russia and the United States.
In Kyiv, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was seeking a just and fair peace that would prevent renewed aggression. Witkoff and Kushner emphasized the need to establish conditions for a durable settlement. A senior Ukrainian official said much of the conversation concerned preparations for winter and measures that could be taken beforehand. British, French and German national security advisers were expected to join subsequent discussions.
Diplomatic activity continued amid ongoing attacks. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian strikes killed one person and wounded at least 10 across several regions. Ukraine said it intercepted 82 of 108 Russian drones and six missiles. Russian officials reported one person killed and another seriously wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike, while Moscow claimed its defenses downed 258 Ukrainian drones.
Public reaction in Kyiv reflected both hope and skepticism. During a daily commemoration for fallen soldiers, one bereaved mother said she hoped the negotiations would stop further bloodshed. Another attendee questioned whether the latest delegation could produce meaningful change, citing previous ceasefires that quickly collapsed.
Pope Leo also appealed for peace, expressing hope that renewed diplomacy would yield concrete results. Despite positive descriptions from officials, the meetings ended without an announced agreement, as fighting continued and the prospects for a settlement remained uncertain.