Ukraine's top negotiator praises Witkoff, pushes back against Kyiv Independent's reporting

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff has received praise from Ukraine's top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, for his contributions to the ongoing efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Umerov, a key negotiator for Kyiv, spoke to Axios about Witkoff's efforts, stating that the work of American negotiators should be evaluated by those directly involved in the process and working closely with Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Umerov emphasized that the main focus of their efforts is to achieve an end to the war and secure a stable future for the Ukrainian people.

However, Ukrainian officials have privately expressed doubts about Witkoff's understanding of the war's complexities and his commitment to the peace process. Meanwhile, Russian officials have grown increasingly skeptical of Witkoff, believing that his accommodating approach towards Russian President Vladimir Putin contributed to the failure of last year's summit in Alaska. They suspect that Witkoff failed to accurately relay information about negotiations to Trump.

Umerov has been collaborating with Witkoff and Kushner daily throughout the past year, aiming to find solutions for ending the conflict and securing guarantees for Ukraine's safety and prosperity. Despite facing criticism, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly dismissed the Kyiv Independent's reporting as "fake news nonsense," emphasizing that President Trump and Witkoff are diligently working to bring an end to the brutal conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

Recently, Witkoff and Kushner visited Moscow and Kyiv in an attempt to restart stalled peace talks, which had been delayed due to Russia's territorial demands and a shift in focus towards the war with Iran. President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to visit New York this week to discuss potential ceasefire agreements between Kyiv and Moscow with Trump.

Zelensky recently expressed gratitude to Trump for signing sanctions against Russia and sought to discuss plans to halt strikes on energy infrastructure and the Black Sea with his U.S. counterpart.