U.S. Envoys Engage in Peace Talks in Kyiv Amid Renewed Russian Aggression

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held significant discussions in Kyiv on Sunday. This visit marked their first official trip to Ukraine as part of efforts to bring an end to more than four years of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Their visit followed a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday, marked by intensified aerial attacks from both sides. Efforts from Washington to cease hostilities have slowed, as the Trump administration has prioritized the conflict with Iran for the last six months.

Putin meets with U.S. envoys at the Kremlin for renewed talks on ending the war in Ukraine

Russia has been deploying swift, jet-powered drones, turning air-raid sirens into a frequent occurrence in Kyiv. Troops continue to face challenges along a 1,250-kilometer (775-mile) front line. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after two discussion rounds with U.S. officials, emphasized the need for a “just, fair peace” that would ensure no future aggression against Ukraine. He expressed gratitude to the American negotiators, who traveled by train for their first visit to Kyiv. The next meeting later Sunday was set to include national security advisers from Britain, France, and Germany.

Witkoff described the discussions as very substantial and encouraging. Kushner noted President Donald Trump’s emphasis on not only ending the current conflict but also creating sustainable peace conditions. A high-ranking Ukrainian official, remaining anonymous due to lack of authorization to speak publicly, mentioned that the talks focused largely on preparing for the winter and immediate steps.

Unresolved Talks in Moscow

The Moscow meeting on Saturday lasted over three hours but concluded without major breakthroughs. Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, called the discussions constructive and beneficial, though details on outcomes remained scant. While Moscow provided a comprehensive assessment of Ukraine’s battlefield conditions, the talks extended beyond the war, covering economic topics and potential joint projects between Russia and America.

Russian drone strikes Ukraine security service headquarters as U.S. talks on the war are expected

In January, Witkoff and Kushner last visited Moscow to engage with Putin. Despite agreements between Putin and Zelenskyy to suspend strikes on each other’s capitals during talks, exchanges continued. Overnight skirmishes into Sunday led to casualties across various Ukrainian regions. Russian strikes claimed a life and injured at least ten people, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. In Zaporizhzhia, drone attacks killed a 74-year-old man and injured three, while a strike in Khmelnytskyi wounded seven in an apartment building.

Ukraine’s air force on Sunday reported intercepting 82 of 108 drones launched by Russia, along with six missiles. In Russia’s Belgorod region, local authorities attributed one death and a serious injury to Ukrainian drone attacks. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed shooting down 258 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions and the Crimean Peninsula.

Varied Reactions on the Ground

Sunday saw dozens in Kyiv observing a nationwide moment of silence at 9 a.m. to honor Ukraine’s fallen soldiers, a ritual in cities throughout the country. Nataliia Lipei, 67, participated despite health issues, expressing hope that the talks would end the war. Her son, Viktor, died in December 2022.

However, not all shared her optimism. Oleksandr Pastukhov, a 27-year-old video editor at the commemoration, doubted the effectiveness of the envoys’ visit, citing previous experiences with temporary ceasefires.

Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican echoed calls for peace in Ukraine, hoping negotiations would yield results. Speaking in St. Peter’s Square, he urged for concrete progress through diplomacy.

Associated Press journalists Volodymyr Yurchuk and Yevhenii Ocheretianyi in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Elise Morton in London contributed to this report.

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