US envoys have ‘more effective proposals’, says Ukraine official

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed optimism that new, more effective proposals on ending the war with Russia have been brought to Kyiv by US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, a senior Ukrainian official has told AFP. Earlier, Zelensky had suggested the conflict was likely to persist into the winter.

Although both Zelensky and the US envoys provided optimistic assessments of the talks, no breakthroughs on ending the conflict were announced. The senior Ukrainian official stated that the new proposals are "not the same as it was before" and emphasized that the discussions are the most crucial aspect. Witkoff and Kushner, who visited Kyiv following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, arrived in the Ukrainian capital for the first time amid ongoing Russian strikes.

Zelensky expressed hope for reaching agreements with American partners and sought European support in case the war continues during the winter. He reiterated his call for a meeting between the two leaders to resolve territorial issues. Moscow has occupied large areas of eastern and southern Ukraine, and the Kremlin indicated confidence in advancing its territorial claims, which are considered unacceptable by Kyiv.

Both Witkoff and Kushner acknowledged the need for compromise and expressed optimism about the discussions, stating that they have gathered meaningful and substantive ideas to advance peace.