US peace envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff traveled to Kyiv on September 6, 2026, to hold their first meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other senior officials amid renewed efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine [1, 2, 3, 4]. Before arriving in Kyiv by train from Poland due to Ukraine's closed airspace, the envoys spent over three hours on September 5 in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow [1, 2, 5]. Putin described the Moscow discussions as "highly useful, very frank, constructive, and mutually trusting," although he did not disclose any concrete outcomes [5].
In Kyiv, Kushner and Witkoff joined British, French, and German national security advisers for related talks aimed at pushing peace negotiations forward [1, 2, 3]. Zelenskiy expressed cautious optimism but highlighted the ongoing challenges, stating, "Security guarantees are needed. A dignified post-war peace is needed. Our proposals have been drawn up" [1]. He acknowledged the war would likely continue through winter, saying, "If the war drags on until winter — and that is how things currently look — we will need a 'winter package'" [6]. Zelenskiy also thanked European allies, saying, "We thank the European countries for standing with us today and for being part of such an alliance" [4].
The talks remain difficult, with major sticking points including control of the eastern Donbas region. Russia insists Ukraine withdraw from occupied towns, which Ukraine rejects [1, 2]. US officials described the Kyiv discussions as substantive and encouraging but reported no breakthrough. "We conducted a very meaningful, substantive, important discussion," said Steve Witkoff. "We were very encouraged and look forward to continuing the talks until the final goal is reached" [4]. Jared Kushner acknowledged the challenges, saying, "It’s a very, very hard problem, but we’re going to try" [6].
Zelenskiy called for near-future three-party talks involving Russia and the US and emphasized the need for real security guarantees to achieve a just peace [3, 4]. Meanwhile, Zelenskiy’s chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov predicted the war would not end before spring 2027, underscoring the long road ahead [7]. Kyiv and nearby areas have faced heavy Russian drone attacks recently, though a temporary ceasefire allowed the diplomatic visits to proceed [2, 7].
US President Donald Trump is pushing a renewed peace initiative, with further steps expected to be announced in the coming weeks [1, 2, 5]. The recent high-level meetings signal continued diplomatic engagement even as tough disagreements persist.
