Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the repeated visits of U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow while avoiding Kyiv, calling the omission “disrespectful.”
Witkoff, a former real estate magnate and now special envoy under President Trump, has traveled to Moscow eight times, meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on multiple occasions. Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, has also joined the missions. Neither has made an official stop in Kyiv, even as ceasefire negotiations over the four‑year war in Ukraine intensified.
“It’s disrespectful to come to Moscow and not Kyiv,” Zelensky told a Ukrainian outlet, adding that he was open to meeting the envoys in neutral countries if logistics were too complex.
The envoys were expected to visit Ukraine earlier this month, but the trip was canceled as Washington shifted focus to the escalating U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran. Witkoff and Kushner are now part of a U.S. delegation heading to Pakistan for talks with Tehran.
Despite the diplomatic snub, Zelensky emphasized the importance of continued cooperation with Washington. “For us it is important to keep working with the Americans,” he said.
Ceasefire talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. gained momentum in late 2025, but remain stalled. While Moscow and Kyiv agreed on certain military arrangements, major disputes persist — including Russia’s demand for regime change in Kyiv and sovereignty over parts of the Donbas region, which Ukraine rejects outright.
Meanwhile, the war continues to devastate Ukraine. Russian forces control large areas in the east, and missile and drone strikes regularly target Ukrainian cities. Just last week, Russia launched more than 700 aerial weapons in a single night, killing at least 18 civilians.
Ukraine has responded with long‑range drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, disrupting up to 20% of Russia’s export capacity. Yet Moscow has offset losses with increased oil revenues, even as its GDP declines.
As Zelensky’s chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov warned in February, the negotiations face a stark choice: “Either we find a solution and end this war, or we all equally take responsibility for admitting that we didn’t — and continue to kill one another.”
