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First visit to Kyiv: Witkoff and Kushner deliver messages from Trump and Putin

From Die Presse · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Analysis Official statement Ongoing story
  • US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Kyiv by train from Poland after meeting Vladimir Putin in Moscow, where Putin granted a 72-hour ceasefire during their stay.
  • Their expected civilian flight to Kyiv could not take place after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian aircraft had bombed the cityโ€™s two airports.
  • The White House said the Moscow talks covered concrete plans for further action, while the article portrays Putin as maintaining his existing position.

The hoped-for first civilian flight into Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale war did not happen. Instead, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived like other foreign visitors: by plane to Rzeszรณw in southeastern Poland, followed by an overnight train journey through Przemyล›l.

For weeks, the two US special envoysโ€™ team had worked on the logistics of their first trip to the Ukrainian capital. Ukraine had expected them nearly two weeks earlier, around the 35th anniversary of independence. Vladimir Putin ultimately granted the envoys a 72-hour ceasefire during their stay in Kyiv.

But Volodymyr Zelenskyy had already warned on Friday that Russian aircraft had bombed Kyivโ€™s two airports. His remarks made clear that a landing there was unlikely. Zelenskyy nevertheless welcomed the chance to receive Witkoff and Kushner on Ukrainian soil after their repeated visits to Moscow.

We have been waiting for this meeting outside the doors of this office.

· Steve WitkoffWitkoff addressed Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin after the envoys had been kept waiting.

The envoys brought no hopeful message from the Kremlin leader, although that did not surprise Zelenskyy. German, French and British security advisers were also in Kyiv over the weekend to meet the US delegation. Their visit followed a roughly three-hour meeting with Putin in the Kremlinโ€™s Red Room, where Witkoff had already met the Russian president eight times.

Witkoff offered Putin unusually warm words after the Russian leader kept the envoys waiting. โ€œWe have been waiting for this meeting outside the doors of this office,โ€ Witkoff said. โ€œAnd we spoke about how, as pensioners, we could one day remember many stories. Working with you is among the best and most memorable.โ€ The White House gave a limited account of the talks, saying the sides had discussed concrete plans for further action that would be announced during the week and expressing hope for an equally productive meeting in Kyiv.

And we spoke about how, as pensioners, we could one day remember many stories. Working with you is among the best and most memorable.

· Steve WitkoffWitkoff used warm, flattering language during his meeting with Putin in Moscow.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Presse in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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