Witkoff and Kushner, in a first, visit Ukraine for peace talks

President Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, visited Kyiv, Ukraine on Sunday for peace talks aimed at restarting negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. This marked their first trip to Ukraine, despite extensive negotiations with both sides and multiple visits to Russia. It also represented the highest-level U.S. official visit to Ukraine since President Trump began his second term.

U.S. and Russian officials expressed optimism about their three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday. A Russian official stated that Kushner and Witkoff were making an effort, and progress was being made. The White House reported that during the talks, they discussed plans for future steps, which will be announced in the coming weeks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed the visitors about Ukrainian preparations to sustain the war through winter, according to a source familiar with the meetings. Kushner and Witkoff emphasized their desire for a breakthrough before the winter sets in. They met twice with Zelensky and his senior advisers, with U.S. national security advisers from the U.K., France, and Germany joining a third meeting.

After their second meeting with Zelensky, Kushner and Witkoff expressed optimism about their discussions, stating they were encouraged by the substantive conversation and looked forward to making more progress.