US envoys set for Ukraine talks after meeting Putin in Moscow

What the report says

Two US envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are heading to Kyiv after holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow about ending the war in Ukraine, according to the BBC and White House comments cited in the report. The talks took place on Saturday at Putin’s official residence and lasted about three hours. US officials said the pair were aiming for "equally productive meetings" in Ukraine and had discussed "substantive plans for next steps," though the details were not disclosed.

The BBC reports that this will be the first trip to Kyiv by President Donald Trump’s top negotiators. Their visit comes as diplomatic efforts appear to be gathering pace, with an announcement on possible next steps expected in the coming weeks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready for a "substantive conversation," while the Kremlin described the Moscow meeting in positive terms without providing specifics.

According to Russian state media and remarks from Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov, the discussion also touched on broader Russia-US economic issues and possible future projects. Ushakov said the talks were constructive and frank, and noted that the Russian side raised what it calls the "root causes" of the conflict. The report places the diplomacy against the backdrop of continuing aerial attacks, slow Russian ground advances, and Ukraine’s difficulty intercepting missile strikes. Kyiv and Moscow have also agreed to pause strikes on each other’s capitals for three days.