Former President Donald Trump is anticipated to have conversations with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on September 7. Prior to these calls, Trump will consult with his special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The White House indicated that discussions during the Moscow negotiations focused on “concrete plans for next steps,” although no breakthrough was reported.
Following meetings with U.S. representatives, Zelensky expressed skepticism that the peace initiative would lead to an end to the ongoing war in the near future. Meanwhile, Witkoff revealed that the U.S. is hopeful for a return to trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia.
Context
- On September 5, Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow for talks with Putin. According to Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov, the American delegation presented a “variety of considerations” regarding potential pathways to resolve the conflict. However, Reuters noted that no significant progress was achieved during the meeting.
- The following day, they visited Kyiv, marking their first trip to Ukraine. During their time in Kyiv, three rounds of talks were held, with the final round involving representatives from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
- Axios reported that Witkoff and Kushner aim to achieve progress in the peace process by this winter, while Zelensky remarked that it currently appears the war may extend into the winter months.
