U.S. Envoys Kushner and Witkoff Meet with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Following Talks with Putin

<p>U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv on Sunday for discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a day after their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict between the two nations.</p><p>Zelenskyy stated on Sunday morning that he had convened his negotiating team ahead of the Americans' arrival and expressed readiness for the discussions.</p><p>"Ukraine has always been and will remain constructive," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "We are interested in bringing the end of the war closer. Peace is needed. Security guarantees are needed. A dignified character of the postwar peace is needed."</p><p>He added, "Our proposals are ready. It is important to work in a coordinated, substantive, and realistic manner."</p><p>Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin for over three hours on Saturday, although the talks concluded without any announced breakthroughs. Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov characterized the meeting as "constructive, frank and useful," but did not reveal specific outcomes.</p><p>A White House official indicated that the two sides discussed "substantive plans for next steps," which are anticipated to be announced in the coming weeks. The official noted that the U.S. delegation looks forward to "equally productive meetings" in Ukraine.</p><p>The Kyiv meeting occurs as Washington aims to rejuvenate efforts to reach a settlement in a conflict that began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. These efforts had lost momentum over the past six months as U.S. focus shifted towards the situation with Iran.</p><p>Significant differences persist between Moscow and Kyiv, particularly regarding territorial issues. Kyiv has rejected Russia’s demand for Ukraine to withdraw from parts of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions that remain under Ukrainian control.</p><p>Ushakov mentioned that Moscow provided the U.S. delegation with its "comprehensive assessment" of the battlefield during Saturday's meeting, although discussions also covered topics beyond the war.</p><p>"Economic issues and potentially large, mutually beneficial joint projects for Russia and America were discussed in considerable detail," Ushakov stated.</p><p>President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he sent Witkoff and Kushner, his son-in-law and adviser, to assess the potential for a peace agreement. "We have an idea for peace. I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators," Trump told reporters. "They've done a great job, and we sent them over to see whether or not we can get something done. And there may be a good chance that we'll do it."</p><p>The diplomatic initiative comes as Russia and Ukraine continue to conduct drone and missile attacks. Both sides reported strikes overnight into Sunday despite an agreement to pause attacks on each other's capitals during the negotiations.</p><p>Fox News Digital’s Robert McGreevy and The Associated Press contributed to this report.</p>