US-led effort to bring Russia and Ukraine closer to a possible settlement has entered a new stage. Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were described by Moscow as "extremely frank," "timely" and "highly useful." After meeting with Vladimir Putin, US envoys travelled to Kyiv for talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. While no breakthrough has been announced, the meetings mark a new push by Washington to keep the negotiating process moving.
Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov said the American representatives presented a number of ideas concerning possible ways to resolve the conflict. He did not disclose the details of those proposals. According to Ushakov, Putin told the US negotiators about what he described as "real progress" by Russian forces on the battlefield and expressed confidence that Russia would achieve its objectives.
The White House described the talks as substantive and said the next steps would be announced in the coming weeks. Following the Moscow meeting, Witkoff and Kushner travelled to Kyiv, where they held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It was the first official visit to Ukraine by the two US representatives in the current diplomatic effort.
For Ukraine, the visit was significant not only politically but also in practical terms. Ukrainian airspace remains closed because of the war, meaning that the American envoys travelled to Kyiv by rail. Until now, talks involving the US, Russia and Ukraine had largely taken place in Moscow or at neutral locations such as Abu Dhabi.
The arrival of Witkoff and Kushner in Kyiv changes that dynamic to some extent. Washington is now engaging directly with both capitals rather than conducting the diplomatic process from a single location. According to Financial Times sources familiar with the talks, Trump’s envoys brought to Kyiv "updated versions" of earlier documents, revised "to reflect changing circumstances" since the peace negotiations stalled in February 2026.
The Ukrainian side made clear that it does not expect an immediate end to the war. Following the talks, Zelenskyy warned that the fighting could continue through the winter. He also pointed to Donbas as one of the central issues in discussions over how the war could eventually be brought to an end.
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