US President Donald Trump’s two envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday after holding a lengthy meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The visit marks the first trip to Ukraine by Trump’s envoys since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country. The two sides reportedly agreed to suspend attacks on Kyiv and Moscow for three days to facilitate the diplomatic meetings, although drone attacks and fighting continued in other areas.
The meeting with Zelensky was held at Kyiv’s historic Saint Sophia Cathedral. Following the talks, Witkoff described the discussions as substantive and important, saying the US mediators remained encouraged by the progress.
“We will continue our work until there is a resolution,” Witkoff said.
Kushner told Zelensky that President Trump was highly determined to end the war and had instructed his representatives to create the right conditions for a durable and lasting peace.
A day earlier, Witkoff and Kushner held a three-hour closed-door meeting with Putin in Moscow as part of preparations for discussions with the Ukrainian leadership. The Kremlin described the talks as open and constructive.
Putin’s adviser Yuri Ushakov said the discussions focused not only on the Ukraine conflict but also on potential major economic projects between Russia and the United States.
Ahead of the Kyiv meeting, Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to discuss ways to bring the war to an end quickly.
“We are interested in getting closer to ending the war. We need peace, security guarantees and a dignified post-war situation,” he wrote on social media, adding that Ukraine’s proposals were ready.
The meetings in Moscow and Kyiv come as the Trump administration intensifies diplomatic efforts to find a negotiated end to the conflict, with security guarantees and post-war arrangements remaining among the key issues for Ukraine.
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