Zelensky Calls Talks with US Envoys 'Very Substantive' as Kyiv Seeks Winter Aid
Zelensky says talks with US envoys were substantive, covering security, economic guarantees, and reviving trilateral negotiations with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described a fresh round of discussions with senior US envoys as "very substantive," following their first visit to Kyiv after a stop in Moscow. The talks, held on Sunday, focused on restarting negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, alongside security and economic guarantees for Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Zelensky said Kyiv is counting on significant support in air defense and energy, as well as access to American liquefied natural gas. He stressed that the discussions were not limited to security, but also covered economic guarantees needed for Ukraine's recovery and rebuilding efforts, adding that the country's army "must be strong."
Representatives from Britain, France, and Germany also joined the discussions, which Zelensky described as the third round of such talks. He noted that all sides agreed to meet again to continue the negotiations. The Ukrainian leader emphasized that while territorial issues remain on the table, decisions of such complexity must ultimately be resolved directly at the level of national leaders.
Zelensky also said efforts are underway to revive trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. Witkoff told reporters that he and Kushner had made "significant progress" in Moscow and hoped the trilateral format would be announced soon. Kushner added that while there is no guarantee the conflict will end by winter, efforts to push negotiations forward will continue.
Previous trilateral rounds were held in Abu Dhabi in late January and early February, followed by a session in Geneva in mid-February, before the process stalled.