Zelenskyy Explained What The U.S. Hopes To Achieve Following Whitcoff And Kushner's Visit To Kyiv

• 8.09.2026, 8:32

Trump's representatives brought some new ideas with them.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump expects that Ukraine and Russia will take steps this winter to de-escalate the war and resume negotiations on a peace agreement.

This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to Axios.

Zelenskyy emphasized that during a meeting with U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Kyiv, all possibilities for resuming Ukraine’s negotiations with Russia, mediated by the U.S., were discussed.

According to him, Trump’s representatives brought “new ideas” with them, but he did not specify exactly what those were. The Ukrainian leader said that the U.S. is proposing that Ukraine and Russia stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure. This is important as winter approaches.

The White House hopes that Kyiv and Moscow will ultimately reach agreements that will allow them to get through the winter of 2026–2027 without a significant escalation. During their meeting with Zelenskyy, Whitcroft and Kushner also discussed the territorial issue. The Ukrainian president believes that this issue “should be resolved at a meeting of leaders.”

Not only Zelenskyy but also representatives from Europe were present at the talks with the American envoys in Kyiv. A separate round of talks was held with them. Specifically, the talks included the French president’s diplomatic adviser Emmanuel Bonne, the National Security Advisor to the British Prime Minister, Jonathan Powell, and the German Chancellor’s Advisor on Foreign and Security Policy, Günter Sautter.