Trump’s envoys arrive in Kyiv for first Ukraine visit

On their first visit to the Ukrainian capital, US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Kyiv on Sunday. This was a day after they held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin to discuss ending the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. These envoys are part of US President Donald Trump's administration and are hoping to revive negotiations to end Europe's worst conflict since WWII.

The war, which began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions. The envoys are expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their visit.

Kushner and Witkoff previously visited Moscow multiple times during the war, but had not held talks in Kyiv, which has been under constant Russian strikes since 2022. They are scheduled to meet with Zelensky as part of their efforts to advance the president's agenda of peace in the Russia-Ukraine War. According to a White House official, the two sides discussed plans for next steps, which will be announced in the coming weeks.

Both Russia and Ukraine have vowed not to strike each other's capitals during the negotiations. The talks are scheduled to take place during a three-day ceasefire, which started at midnight on Sunday. Zelensky has indicated that Ukraine is ready for the conversation, stating that Ukraine has always been and will remain constructive. However, the prospect of a breakthrough remains slim for many Ukrainians, who have experienced a long series of negotiations with no tangible results so far.