Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he had a “positive” conversation with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, praising their readiness to work on a settlement of the Ukraine war in the coming weeks.
The diplomatic push came as Russia launched new missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, killing four people and injuring more than 20 others.
Zelenskiy shared details of the conversation on Telegram during a stopover in Moldova’s capital, Chisinau, as he returned to Kyiv from talks in London.
“A very positive conversation,” Zelenskiy wrote.
He said he was grateful for the envoys’ readiness to work “as actively as possible” in the weeks ahead to boost diplomacy aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Ukraine seeks renewed diplomatic momentum
Zelenskiy was returning from London after meeting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The three European leaders supported a proposal for direct talks between Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to secure a ceasefire. They also said Europe would play a role in any future peace process.
In London, Zelenskiy also briefed Starmer on Ukraine’s need for additional missiles for air defence systems.
US-led peace efforts remain stalled
US-brokered talks on the Ukraine conflict, overseen by Witkoff and Kushner, who is US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, have stalled as Washington has focused on the war involving Iran.
Zelenskiy said he understood that much of the world’s attention was currently concentrated on Iran.
However, he stressed that “our common goal regarding peace in Europe is on the agenda.”
Possible Kyiv visit by US envoys discussed
Zelenskiy said he and the US envoys discussed the prospects of talks at the upcoming G7 summit in the French resort of Evian. He also thanked the United States for its “positive assessment of Ukraine’s position.”
US and Ukrainian officials are continuing to discuss a possible visit to Kyiv by Witkoff and Kushner in the coming weeks, according to a source familiar with the matter.
It would be the first official visit to Ukraine by the two envoys, who have previously travelled to Moscow for talks with Russia.
In a later Telegram post, Zelenskiy said he also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron. He said the conversation focused on his discussion with the US envoys, coordination of future steps and Sunday’s talks in London with Macron, Starmer and Merz.
Russian strikes kill four in Kharkiv region
As diplomatic efforts continued, Russian missile and drone attacks hit Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region.
Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said four people were killed in the town of Chuhuiv, including two men aged 70 and 56 and two women aged 22 and 70.
Syniehubov posted a photo on Telegram showing a destroyed apartment building on fire.
Officials said more than 20 people were injured in the latest Russian strikes. Syniehubov said an overnight drone attack on the regional capital, Kharkiv, forced 15 people, including three children, to seek medical assistance.
Chuhuiv Mayor Galina Minaeva said six people were injured in the town.
Reuters could not independently verify the reports.
Crimea says drone attack repelled
In Sevastopol, located in Russia-annexed Crimea and home to Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet, Russian-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said air defence systems were repelling a drone attack.
The latest attacks followed weeks of large-scale strikes by both Russia and Ukraine. Over the past month, Russia has struck Ukraine with Oreshnik missiles, while Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Moscow and Kyiv have both said battlefield gains help strengthen their positions in diplomatic efforts.
UN Security Council urges ceasefire efforts
At a special session of the UN Security Council on Monday, the fifth meeting on the war in 20 days, representatives from the European Union, the United States, China and others called for continued efforts to reach a ceasefire.
Indrika Ratwatte, acting assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, told council members that Russia was escalating the scale and intensity of its attacks on major Ukrainian population centers.
He said at least 30 civilians had been reported killed and 200 injured since Friday.
Ratwatte also said seven humanitarian vehicles were damaged in attacks in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region. Aid workers and volunteers were injured in what he described as “unacceptable attacks.”
Ukraine says Putin rejected meeting proposal
Ukraine’s permanent representative to the UN, Andriy Melnyk, told the Security Council debate that Putin had rejected Zelenskiy’s proposal for a leaders’ meeting. Melnyk said Zelenskiy had sent a letter to the Kremlin leader last week seeking direct dialogue.
Russian representative Vasily Nebenzya dismissed the Ukrainian leader’s proposal as “rudeness and ultimatums.”
He said Moscow wanted a real settlement, not “imitation talks.”
Nordic countries back Zelenskiy’s ceasefire proposal
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen told the UN Security Council that Nordic countries supported Zelenskiy’s call for an immediate ceasefire. She also backed direct talks between Zelenskiy and Putin.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin was quoted by Izvestia newspaper as saying NATO countries were increasing their presence in areas close to Russia and Belarus.
“We remain in a constant state of readiness to employ all means, including nuclear ones, to ensure the security of the Union State,” Galuzin said.
He was referring to the political, security and economic alliance between Russia and Belarus.
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