US Envoys Meet Putin and Zelenskyy as Washington Pushes to Restart Three-Way Peace Talks

US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv after holding more than three hours of talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, in a renewed push to restart direct negotiations among the United States, Russia and Ukraine.

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We had very substantive and important discussions and were encouraged

The meetings did not produce an immediate breakthrough. Russia and Ukraine remain sharply divided over their central demands, particularly territory. Moscow wants Ukraine to withdraw from parts of Donbas that Kyiv still controls, while Zelenskyy rejects that position and says difficult territorial questions must be settled at the highest level.

Witkoff said the Kyiv discussions were “very substantive and important” and that he felt encouraged after making progress in Moscow and hearing new ideas. Kushner said Donald Trump was focused not only on ending the conflict, but on creating a framework for lasting peace. Washington proposed reviving the direct three-way talks, which last met about six months ago, arguing that Russia and Ukraine should discuss their disputes face to face rather than through US intermediaries.

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The president is focused not simply on ending the conflict, but on creating a framework that leads to long-term and lasting peace

Zelenskyy said every effort should be made to hold either three-way talks or meetings that include European partners. British, French and German national security advisers joined the final meeting in Kyiv. The discussions included US and European security guarantees against a renewed Russian invasion, economic guarantees and a proposed prosperity plan for rebuilding Ukraine. The United States, Ukraine and Europe agreed to hold further meetings soon.

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We must make every effort to hold three-way talks, or talks that include our European partners

The talks also addressed military and energy assistance for the coming winter. Zelenskyy said Ukraine expected Russia to target its power grid again and discussed a winter package including Patriot air-defense systems, interceptor missiles and energy infrastructure support. He called the shortage of interceptors for ballistic missiles a Ukrainian “weakness” and said he hoped for increased US Patriot production next year. Witkoff acknowledged that difficult negotiations remained and said both sides would need to compromise. A limited pause in attacks on Kyiv and Moscow occurred during the talks, but fighting continued elsewhere. Ukraine reported attacking an oil refinery in Ryazan, while Russia continued missile and drone strikes in several Ukrainian regions.

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Both sides must compromise to some extent and narrow the gap on the issues. It is very difficult, but we are working toward a successful diplomatic solution