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Witkoff and Kushner meet Zelensky in Kyiv
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Witkoff and Kushner met Zelensky in Kyiv on Sep 6 after Putin talks.
No breakthrough, but talks continue with European advisors.
Background
US President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are on a diplomatic mission to end the Russia-Ukraine war, now in its fifth year. They met Putin in Moscow on Saturday, then traveled to Kyiv for their first visit to Ukraine, seeking to revive peace talks amid intensified aerial attacks.
How it unfolded
- Sep 5, 2026Witkoff and Kushner held a three-hour meeting with Putin in Moscow, followed by dinner.
- Sep 6, 2026They arrived in Kyiv and held three rounds of talks with Zelensky, the last joined by UK, French, and German national security advisors.
- Sep 6, 2026After talks, Witkoff called them 'encouraging' but no breakthrough was reported; further discussions expected.
Who’s saying what
- US Envoys
- Witkoff said discussions were 'encouraging' and they are working 'behind the scenes' for a possible deal.
- Ukraine
- Zelensky stressed need for security guarantees and 'serious volumes' of military aid, including Patriot systems.
- Russia
- Kremlin announced a three-day pause in strikes on Kyiv, but no public commitment on territorial concessions.
Still unverified
Reports of a possible trilateral meeting with Russia are unconfirmed; details of 'substantive plans' not disclosed.