Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after meeting with the visiting U.S. envoy in Kiev on the 6th that the war with Russia is currently likely to continue into this winter. Although Zelensky and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff both spoke positively of the talks, neither side announced any major breakthroughs that would immediately end the war.
Agence France-Presse reported that Weikov, a business ally of U.S. President Trump, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on the 5th, and then visited the Ukrainian capital for the first time in more than four years, which has been hit by Russian air strikes in more than four years. The trip is aimed at reinvigorating the Trump administration's peace efforts in Europe's worst conflict since World War II after a summer of escalating fighting.
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Zelensky emphasized that if the war continues into the winter, Ukraine will not only hope to reach an agreement with the United States, but also rely on the continued support of its European partners. He also expressed his gratitude to the representatives of the United Kingdom, France and Germany for participating in another round of talks, emphasizing that "we are all on the same side."
Like other visiting international dignitaries, the U.S. delegation also arrived by train this time, and the platform of Kiev Central Station had the words "Peace Express" specially written on it. Zelensky revealed that Ukraine had originally prepared the airport to be fully operational to receive the special envoy, but the threat of Russian air strikes made it impossible to arrive by plane, and Ukrainian airspace has been closed since the full-scale war began in 2022.
In order to ensure the progress of negotiations, both Russia and Ukraine have promised to suspend attacks on each other's capitals during the visit of the US envoy. Putin has also previously assured the envoy that they will ensure their safety in Kiev.
Regarding the substance of the negotiations, White House officials revealed to AFP that special envoys had discussed "substantial plans" in Moscow and are expected to make them public in the next few weeks. The Kremlin said that the United States had proposed several solutions, but did not elaborate further.
Weikov stressed the need for compromise on both sides and said the talks were substantive and exciting. Kushner also hopes that this trip will find a new direction for promoting peace. Trump has also previously claimed that his envoy went to the area with a "peace concept" to end the war.
However, most people in Kyiv have no expectations for a substantial breakthrough. Nataliia Lipekh, a 67-year-old woman, believes that it is absolutely necessary for the special envoy to visit in person. They must see with their own eyes this "land soaked in blood" and understand that Ukraine is in urgent need of assistance. Yaroslav, 29, said bluntly that he had experienced too many fruitless negotiations in the past and now has no reason to hold out hope.
Although both sides promised a temporary ceasefire in the capital, fierce fighting in other areas has not stopped. Putin has reiterated his intention to seize remaining territory in eastern Ukraine, and the Russian military has stepped up deadly airstrikes this summer. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the Russian army once again launched 108 drones and missiles to attack Ukraine at night; Moscow claimed to have shot down 258 Ukrainian drones. Ukrainian officials pointed out that a Russian air strike on the 5th killed a total of 10 people, including an 11-year-old boy, showing that this war of attrition with no end in sight continues to cause serious casualties.
