Witkoff and Kushner Arrive in Kyiv Following Substantive Putin Talks

Kyiv, Ukraine — U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday, marking their first visit to Ukraine since the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The diplomatic mission follows a more than three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday, which White House officials described as yielding “substantive plans for next steps” toward a peace agreement.

The American delegation traveled from Poland by train and was received by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside the historic Saint Sophia Cathedral. Zelenskyy, who had previously stated on X that he was expecting a “substantive conversation,” emphasized Ukraine’s readiness to negotiate, noting that “proposals are ready” alongside the need for security guarantees and a dignified postwar settlement.

Despite the diplomatic engagement, signs of compromise remain scarce. Following the Moscow session, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov reported that Putin insisted on eliminating “all root causes of the Ukrainian conflict,” language widely interpreted by Kyiv and Western allies as a reference to maximalist demands including Ukrainian neutrality, military reductions, and the abandonment of NATO aspirations. Ushakov also noted Putin’s confidence in Russian military goals and his acknowledgment of recent battlefield successes.

Observers suggest Putin’s stance has hardened in recent weeks, bolstered by the belief that Russia is winning the war. Over the past two weeks, Russia has intensified air attacks on Kyiv using jet-powered drones. Overnight into Sunday, Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 108 drones and an unspecified number of cruise missiles, with defenses intercepting 82 drones and six missiles across 11 locations. A Russian strike in the Kyiv region caused a large-scale fire at an infrastructure facility.

Skepticism toward the diplomatic push persists among Ukrainian officials. Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee, told ABC News he held “no hopes at all” for the mission. He argued that Putin believes he can only secure his safety through Ukrainian capitulation, given the extent of alleged war crimes. Merezhko further characterized Witkoff and Kushner as “amateurs without necessary knowledge and experience” unable to chart a viable path to settlement.

During the Moscow meeting, Witkoff thanked Putin for facilitating a temporary “no-shoot” arrangement that allowed safe travel for the U.S. delegation. He also conveyed President Donald Trump’s best wishes and acknowledged Putin’s role in securing the return of Rob Gilman, though Putin credited Trump with that effort. The talks included representatives from the National Security Council, State Department, and Treasury Department.

While both Putin and Zelenskyy have publicly pledged not to target each other’s capitals during the visits, Russian strikes continued in other parts of Ukraine. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces downed 258 Ukrainian drones overnight across 14 regions, occupied Crimea, and parts of the Black and Azov Seas.