Sources reveal the reason for postponing Witkopf and Kushner's visit to Moscow and their conditions for its resumption
Quick Look
- US President Donald Trump threatened to stop military and intelligence support for Ukraine if Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries continued, and demanded a new Ukrainian leader capable of concluding a peace deal.
- While American officials denied the intention to stop support, Zelensky stressed that the choice of leader belongs to the Ukrainian people and called for a comprehensive ceasefire for 60 days to organize elections.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
This escalation came weeks after a diplomatic tour by US envoys Witkoff and Kushner to Moscow and Kiev last September, which was their first visit to Ukraine despite repeated visits to Moscow, with the aim of reviving negotiations to end the war that have been stalled since late February.
The New York Times quoted sources as saying that the US special envoys, Witkoff and Kushner, decided to suspend the visit until Zelensky repairs his relationship with the US President.
White House officials believe, according to the American website "Axios", that the Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries harm Zelensky's relationship with Trump more than they harm Russia. The website quoted a White House official as saying that Trump is “very angry* and feels that Zelensky takes US support for granted.”
Trump escalated his criticism of Zelensky on Saturday, October 10, telling reporters upon leaving the White House that Zelensky "could have settled this war many times, but he chooses not to." He added: "We said that you can do whatever you want in Russia, but do not strike the refineries, because that causes a global problem."
"I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president," Trump continued, calling for a "new leader who can make a deal." His statements came a day after he announced an agreement with Putin to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports.
Zelensky responded, in an interview with the American ABC News network on Sunday, October 11, that the choice of leader “is up to our society and our people*, with all due respect to President Trump. He called on Trump’s team to ask Putin to grant Ukraine “60 days of a comprehensive ceasefire*, stressing that his country will hold elections during it.”
On Friday, October 9, Zelensky described the diesel agreement as “a weak decision by our strong partners* that allows the conflict to be prolonged. He said in the interview that his country is ready for a ceasefire limited to energy infrastructure if Russia agrees to that.”
In a related context, Axios reported on Sunday that the two envoys froze their trip to Moscow until it becomes clear whether Ukraine and the European countries are ready to agree on a new unified proposal to be presented to Putin.
On Sunday, Trump announced a “ceasefire in the energy sector* between Russia and Ukraine, stressing that both parties had agreed to it. On the other hand, Zelensky said that the announcement was new to him.
In a video speech before the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, October 12, Zelensky accused Russia of violating “the ceasefire in the energy sector announced by President Trump*, and said: “We are awaiting the details of the conditions between the Americans and the Russians*,” adding that this truce “may become a major step towards ending the war*.”
Axios quoted a Ukrainian official as saying that Witkov and Kushner, during a meeting with Ukrainian negotiators in Miami on Friday, October 9, hinted at the possibility of Washington stopping sharing intelligence information with Kiev if it continues to ignore Trump’s requests. An American official denied this, noting that the two envoys confirmed that the United States is a strong partner that provides Ukraine with ammunition and information.
The Financial Times also reported, according to Axios, that Washington had informed European countries that it might stop selling weapons to Ukraine through NATO if the strikes on Russian refineries continued.
The suspension of the visit comes a few weeks after a diplomatic round described as a first step towards reviving negotiations. The two envoys met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Happy Day for several hours, then went directly to Kiev to meet with Zelensky on Sunday, September 6.
This was their first visit to Ukraine, although they had visited Moscow several times, and had never gone to Kiev despite repeated official invitations. Trump stated at the time that his envoys had a proposal to end the war, without revealing its details.
He was counting on that visit to resume negotiations to end the war, which had been stalled since late February. It was preceded by about ten days of a visit by CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow, during which he met with the heads of the Russian intelligence and security services.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Negotiations between the United States and Russia on easing sanctions and adjusting support for Ukraine will continue
Likely · Within weeks
Pressure will increase on Zelensky to accept tougher US terms in exchange for continued support
Very likely · Within days
Ukraine will seek to secure multilateral security guarantees before any ceasefire agreement
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Will the United States follow through on its threats to stop intelligence and arms support to Ukraine?
- Will Russia accept a comprehensive 60-day ceasefire as proposed by Zelensky?
- What are the details of the agreement to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports that Trump announced with Putin?
- Will the dispute between Trump and Zelensky lead to a real change in Ukrainian leadership?
