Two US envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived in Kyiv on Sunday after holding discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to US officials, the envoys are aiming for productive meetings in Ukraine following their talks with Putin on Saturday, where they discussed plans for next steps in the peace process. An announcement regarding these plans is anticipated in the coming weeks.
This marks the first visit by top negotiators from the Trump administration to Ukraine's capital. During the negotiations, President Zelensky expressed readiness for discussions and emphasized the need for peace and security guarantees, stating that it is important to work in a coordinated and realistic manner.
Despite ongoing negotiations, Russian and Ukrainian forces continued to exchange strikes, with Ukraine confirming attacks on an oil refinery, an airfield, and two air defense systems. The Ryazan oil refinery, which supplies the Russian military, was targeted, along with an airfield in Rostov-on-Don. Earlier, Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia launched an attack involving 108 long-range drones and small cruise missiles, with Ukrainian air defenses intercepting 82 drones and six missiles, although 11 locations were hit.
The talks in Moscow lasted three hours and were described by Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov as constructive and frank. Ushakov noted that discussions extended beyond the Ukrainian crisis to include economic issues and potential Russian-American projects. He acknowledged the need for talks to address the root causes of the conflict, despite the ongoing escalation of missile and drone strikes by Russia on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv. As of now, Russia controls approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, which it seized in 2022.