Trump Delegation Holds Successive Summits with Putin and Zelensky, Discusses New Peace Proposal

Talks With Zelensky on "Winter Support Package"


Putin and Zelensky Remain Divided Over Territorial Issues


Concerns Grow Over Russia's Possible Winter Infrastructure Attacks

The special envoy delegation of U.S. President Donald Trump, tasked with mediating ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, visited both Moscow and Kyiv in succession to seek a resumption of talks.

According to AFP and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on September 6 (local time), Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Affairs, and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, visited Kyiv to discuss ceasefire measures with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The United States and Ukraine also discussed a "Prosperity Plan" that includes proposals for Ukraine's security and economic guarantees and postwar reconstruction. In anticipation that the war may last through the coming winter, Ukraine requested a "Winter Support Package" that covers air defense upgrades, energy assistance, and the supply of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG).

This was the first time that Witkoff and Kushner visited Kyiv in person as President Trump's special envoys for ceasefire negotiations. The two arrived in Kyiv by overnight train from Poland, where they were welcomed by President Zelenskyy at St. Sophia Cathedral.

Both Russia and Ukraine agreed not to attack Kyiv or Moscow, respectively, during the period when the two special envoys traveled from Moscow to Kyiv the previous day.

After a meeting that lasted about three hours, including a working lunch, Special Envoy Witkoff stated, "It was a very substantive and important discussion, and I am greatly encouraged." He added, "There was progress in Moscow," and "We came to Kyiv with new ideas."

The delegation was accompanied by officials from the U.S. National Security Council (NSC), State Department, and Treasury Department. President Trump's negotiation style—placing his confidants, real estate developer Witkoff and his son-in-law Kushner, at the center of the ceasefire talks rather than career diplomats—once again drew attention.

National security advisors from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany also joined the Kyiv talks. President Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the European participants, emphasizing, "We are all on the same side." The United States, Ukraine, and European sides agreed to hold follow-up meetings at a time and place to be determined.

Putin and Zelenskyy Hold Back-to-Back Meetings... Territorial Disputes Remain Unresolved

The previous day, Witkoff and Kushner held a meeting lasting more than three hours with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. Kushner described the meeting with President Putin as "a very good conversation," noting that "many questions were exchanged." He added that he hopes this visit will open the way for renewed trilateral negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States.

Yuri Ushakov, Foreign Policy Advisor at the Kremlin, also assessed the meeting as "substantive, constructive, very candid, and based on trust," but did not disclose any specific results.

A White House official noted that Witkoff and Kushner discussed practical next steps for conflict resolution in Moscow and that details on this may be announced in the coming weeks.

Sharp differences persist between both sides regarding the core issue of territorial disputes in ceasefire talks. Russia demands that Ukraine relinquish the remaining areas of Donetsk Oblast under Kyiv's control. Ukraine maintains that it cannot cede any territory and that it needs reliable security guarantees to prevent a renewed invasion.

Russia Facing Negative Battlefield Assessment... Concerns Over Winter Attacks on Infrastructure

Previously, John Ratcliffe, Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), also visited Moscow late last month for talks with Russian officials. Citing sources, the WSJ reported that Director Ratcliffe warned Russia to refrain from further escalation and urged the resumption of stalled ceasefire negotiations. However, President Trump denied reports that Director Ratcliffe delivered any special warning message to Russia.

Recent months have seen assessments that battlefield conditions have turned increasingly unfavorable for Russia. According to Ukrainian officials and military experts, Russia suffered around 1,000 casualties per day during its summer offensive aimed at capturing the entire Donbas region, yet gained only limited territory.

However, there are growing concerns that Russia may deploy additional troops over the winter and step up attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Consequently, fears are mounting that Russia could cut off power and heating supplies to exert pressure on Ukrainian cities and civilians.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.