Witkoff reports “substantial progress” after visits to Moscow and Kyiv as Trump plans calls with Putin and Zelenskyy

Steve Witkoff said the latest diplomatic mission to Russia and Ukraine had produced “substantial progress,” including steps toward scheduling further trilateral talks. He said on X that Donald Trump was working intensively to end the killing and achieve a lasting, stable peace.

According to The Kyiv Independent, Trump was expected to speak by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Witkoff and Jared Kushner returned from Kyiv. The Kremlin said it did not rule out a Putin-Trump call following the US envoys’ visit.

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Substantial progress has been made, including steps forward in scheduling further trilateral talks. Trump is working intensively to end the killing and achieve a lasting and stable peace.

The Élysée Palace said the American negotiators had told European representatives in Kyiv that Russia showed a renewed willingness to negotiate after the State Duma elections, scheduled for September 18 to 20. The French presidency said the situation required preparations for a new start to negotiations.

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Renewed willingness to negotiate.

Moscow, however, announced a diplomatic reprisal. Russia revoked its consent for the German consulate general in St. Petersburg to operate, ordering it to end activities by September 18, 2026. The Foreign Ministry said the measure responded to Germany’s closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn, and required all consulate employees to leave Russia by that date.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had no information about the outcome of Witkoff and Kushner’s visit to Kyiv after their meeting with Putin in Moscow. He nevertheless called the envoys’ weekend discussions “a small step toward peace,” according to Interfax.

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A small step toward peace.