Kyiv, September 2026 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said discussions with US peace envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Kyiv were “very important and meaningful”, as efforts intensify to revive negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Witkoff and Kushner met Zelensky in Kyiv following their discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Zelensky said the talks focused on several key issues, including efforts to restart negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, security and economic guarantees for Ukraine, and preparations for a support package ahead of the winter season.
Zelensky said Ukraine was particularly seeking greater assistance in strengthening its air defence capabilities and protecting its energy infrastructure. With Ukraine expected to face renewed pressure on its power network during the winter, Kyiv has been seeking additional international support to protect critical facilities and maintain energy supplies.
“We are particularly expecting assistance in the areas of air defence and energy,” Zelensky said. He also highlighted Ukraine’s interest in securing significant quantities of US liquefied natural gas (LNG) and exploring ways to expand its use.
According to Zelensky, representatives from several European countries, including Britain, France and Germany, also participated in the latest round of discussions. He said all sides agreed to continue consultations and meet again as efforts to find a diplomatic settlement move forward.
Zelensky said Ukraine, the United States and Russia were continuing efforts to revive direct trilateral negotiations. He indicated that the resumption of such talks could provide a framework for addressing the major political and security issues surrounding the conflict and potentially create a path towards ending the fighting.
Witkoff, meanwhile, told reporters that he and Kushner had made “significant progress” during their discussions in Moscow. He expressed hope that a new round of trilateral talks involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia could be announced soon.
The meeting in Kyiv marked the first visit by Witkoff and Kushner to Ukraine after their talks with Putin in Moscow. Their diplomatic engagements come as Washington seeks to bridge differences between Moscow and Kyiv and restart negotiations that have remained stalled for several months.
Earlier, delegations from Ukraine, the United States and Russia had participated in two rounds of discussions in Abu Dhabi, held on January 23-24 and February 4-5. Another round was subsequently conducted in Geneva on February 17-18. The meetings were aimed at exploring possible avenues for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but the trilateral process later came to a standstill.
The latest diplomatic push follows comments from Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov, who said Putin had held an “extremely open, constructive and serious” discussion with the US envoys in Moscow. According to Ushakov, the meeting included formal talks on key issues, followed by further informal discussions during dinner.
Ushakov said Putin had reaffirmed Russia’s willingness to continue working with the United States to seek a political and diplomatic resolution to issues related to Ukraine. He said Moscow had provided the American representatives with what it described as a detailed assessment of developments during Russia’s military operation.
According to Ushakov, the Russian side particularly highlighted the progress of its forces on the battlefield and expressed confidence that Moscow would achieve its stated objectives. He also stressed the importance of addressing what Russia considers the “root causes” of the conflict as part of any eventual settlement.
The discussions were not limited to the Ukraine conflict, Ushakov said. Economic issues and the possibility of launching large-scale projects that could benefit both Russia and the United States were also discussed.
Ushakov described the Moscow talks as timely and potentially beneficial for bilateral relations, while the meetings in Kyiv underscored Washington’s efforts to maintain dialogue with both sides and build momentum towards the resumption of broader peace negotiations.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
