US envoys set for Ukraine talks after meeting Putin in Russia

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the senior negotiators appointed by former President Donald Trump, are slated to arrive in Kyiv on Sunday for their first visit to the Ukrainian capital. The pair met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday in Moscow, where they discussed “substantive plans for next steps” aimed at ending the war, according to White House officials. While the exact content of those plans remains undisclosed, both sides issued broadly positive statements, and an announcement of any concrete measures is expected in the coming weeks. The talks in Putin’s official residence lasted three hours, were held behind closed doors, and were described by Putin’s adviser Yuri Ushakov as “constructive, extremely frank.”

The meeting follows a recent agreement between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to halt strikes on each other’s capitals for three days, a gesture that underscores a tentative de‑escalation amid intensified aerial attacks. Ushakov said the discussions went beyond a simple exchange of views on the Ukrainian crisis, covering economic issues and potential large‑scale Russian‑American projects, while also noting the Russian army’s “tangible advances” on the battlefield and the need to address the conflict’s root causes. Despite Russia’s slow ground progress and heavy casualties, it still controls roughly one‑fifth of Ukrainian territory seized in 2022, and both sides are grappling with the challenge of sustaining military pressure while exploring diplomatic avenues.

Logistical hurdles remain, as Ukraine’s airspace has been closed since the February 2022 invasion, leaving it unclear how Witkoff and Kushner will travel from Moscow to Kyiv. Ukraine has struggled to intercept Russian ballistic missiles, while Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russian economic infrastructure, especially oil facilities. The upcoming talks in Kyiv will test whether the tentative cease‑fire and the broader diplomatic overtures can translate into a viable peace framework, with the potential to reshape the regional security landscape and influence future Russian‑American cooperation.

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