US envoys Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Kyiv after talks with Putin in Moscow

American officials Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv on Sunday, marking their first official trip to the country as part of renewed efforts toward peace following Russia's full-scale invasion. Their arrival follows a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow the previous day, aimed at reigniting talks during the escalating aerial attacks from both sides.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed readiness for a "constructive" discussion with the U.S. representatives, emphasizing the need for peace, security guarantees, and a just and sustainable postwar state. However, the momentum for ending the conflict has waned, with Washington focusing on the Iran war for the past six months.

The last visit to Moscow by Witkoff and Kushner, which included talks with President Trump's son-in-law Donald Trump, took place in January and also concluded without any breakthroughs. Despite holding a three-hour meeting, Russian Foreign Policy Adviser Yuri Ushakov described the discussions as constructive, frank, and useful, though no specific outcomes were disclosed.

Ushakov revealed that economic issues and potential joint projects between Russia and the U.S. were discussed in detail. The ongoing air war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified, as troops struggle to make progress along the 1,250-kilometer front line. Russia's recent use of fast-flying, jet-powered drones has led to a daily occurrence of air-raid sirens in Kyiv.

Over the weekend, Russian attacks in various Ukrainian regions resulted in one death and ten injuries, while Ukraine's air force intercepted 82 drones out of 108 launched by Russia, along with six missiles. While some hope remains for the talks, others remain skeptical, fearing that the envoys' visit may not bring any lasting change after previous delegations have failed to produce lasting results.