Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Telegram
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had spoken with US President Donald Trump’s representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as the Ukrainian and American teams prepare further diplomatic steps.
The talks focused on the results of a meeting between the two countries’ teams in Florida. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian and US teams remain in constant contact.
“Peace comes only through strength and cooperation built on trust. We are doing everything on our side to make this happen and to ensure that America’s position remains strong and helps bring closer the peace everyone except Russia has been waiting for for more than four and a half years,” Zelenskyy said.
He added that Ukraine continuously informs its partners about the actual situation regarding Russian strikes and air defense needs, stressing that Russian attacks continue without interruption.
“Much depends on America’s position here. Ukraine remains ready to work constructively, honestly and toward tangible results. I thank everyone in America who supports this approach and Ukraine,” the president said.
Witkoff and Kushner have previously explained to Kyiv efforts to bring Russia back to negotiations through economic agreements. At a meeting in Miami, they reportedly described allowing Russian diesel exports as a way to soften Russian President Vladimir Putin’s position. The proposal involved supplying more than 2.25 million barrels of fuel to US and global markets. Kushner also conveyed Trump’s request that Ukraine stop striking Russian oil refineries.
The Trump administration has also considered restoring Russian gas supplies to Europe as part of a potential peace agreement on Ukraine. Witkoff and Kushner discussed the proposal with Ukrainian and European officials, and the issue was also raised during a September meeting with Zelenskyy in Kyiv. US representatives argued that resuming transit through Ukraine could encourage Moscow to end the war.
