American negotiators are set to travel to Kiev on Sunday after intense discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, as Washington ramps up efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
American emissary Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, kicked off their intense diplomatic weekend with a three-hour meeting with Putin on Saturday afternoon at the Kremlin. According to a Kremlin statement, the negotiations were followed by a dinner with the Russian leader, as reported by CNN.
The Kremlin released video footage from the meeting between Witkoff, Kushner, and Putin, which took place Saturday afternoon at the Kremlin.
Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov later described the discussions as "useful" and stated that the American representatives "prepared seriously for this trip." He mentioned that the American team expressed interest in ending hostilities as soon as possible and presented "a whole series of considerations regarding possible paths to a resolution of the war."
Ushakov stated that Witkoff and Kushner committed to using "the observations and assessments they received personally from the President of Russia" during the discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, scheduled for Sunday.
What the White House says
A White House official stated that President Donald Trump's envoys discussed "substantial plans for the next steps, which will be announced in the coming weeks, and look forward to having equally productive meetings in Ukraine."
Witkoff and Kushner are set to travel to Kiev on Sunday — their first visit to the Ukrainian capital since the beginning of the war.
The American team's visit to Kiev comes amid nearly constant rocket and drone attacks by Russia on the Ukrainian capital, including a direct attack on the headquarters of the Security Service of Ukraine, the SBU, on Friday.
Zelensky stated that a severe lack of interceptors for anti-air defense systems left Ukraine vulnerable to ballistic missile attacks.
Putin announced a three-day halt to Russian attacks on Kiev, to coincide with the American delegation's visit to Ukraine, but emphasized that the two sides did not agree on a broader ceasefire.
Zelensky said he spoke with Witkoff and Kushner on Saturday and that Ukraine is prepared to cease attacks on Moscow by Monday.
"From now until the end of Saturday, as well as Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is prepared to refrain from attacks on Moscow, and we expect the Russians to do the same regarding Kiev," Zelensky said in a post on X.
Zelensky also said: "We look forward to Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and are ready for a substantial discussion."
At the start of Saturday's meeting, Putin acknowledged the difficulty of the discussions and asked the American delegation to convey his thanks to Trump.
"The situation we have to analyze today is certainly not a simple one. But before we begin, I want to ask you to convey my best wishes and a word of gratitude to the President of the United States, Mr. Trump," Putin said.
In turn, Witkoff took a cordial tone, telling Putin: "When we retire, we will have all these incredible stories and incredible memories, and yours will be right at the top of all of them."
Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia's sovereign investment fund and special envoy of the Kremlin, also participated in the discussions. After their conclusion, Dmitriev described the meeting as an "important visit for promoting peace," in a post on X.
Attacks on airports in the Kiev region
Zelensky earlier stated on Saturday that Russian rockets had hit two airports near Kiev, including Boryspil, an airport that operated international flights before the war.
"Obviously, these Russian attacks on airports are a response to discussions and preparations regarding the possibility of the American side using an aircraft to reach Ukraine," Zelensky said.
Since the start of the war, foreign leaders visiting have generally traveled to Kiev by train from Poland. It is unclear if the reported Russian attacks will alter the plans of the American delegation.
On Friday at the White House, Trump described Witkoff and Kushner as "great negotiators." "They come with a proposal to end the war," Trump said, adding that "there might be a good chance for success."
The Kremlin struck a less optimistic tone.
"Yesterday, Trump himself said that there are no discussions about new ideas. That was the statement of the President of the United States," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov when asked if the American mediators bring new proposals to end the war.
"On-the-ground realities"
Russian officials indicated that Moscow's position remains unchanged.
"The US administration must take into account the realities on the ground regarding resolving the situation in Ukraine, where the situation is changing in an unfavorable direction for Kiev," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov to the state news agency TASS.
A number of important industrial cities in the eastern Donetsk region are under increasing pressure, as Russian forces have gradually advanced in recent months.
Russian attacks have continued in other areas of Ukraine on the night from Friday to Saturday, including rocket attacks on ports on the Black Sea and on a factory in the central Dnipropetrovsk region.
Prior to the visit of the American mediators, Zelensky stated on Friday: "Our goal is for the visit and negotiations with the American side to be as constructive and substantial as possible. We must seek realistic options to end this war."