The "peace express" with Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Kyiv late.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv late Sunday after visiting Moscow, marking their first trip to Ukraine since being appointed to negotiate an end to the Russian invasion. Their arrival came amid ongoing efforts to broker a peace agreement, though neither side has indicated major progress in resolving the conflict. The two Americans traveled by train from Poland to Kyiv, a route necessitated by the closure of Ukrainian airspace due to the war. They met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday before traveling to Kyiv, where they held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During their meetings, both sides discussed potential pathways to de-escalation, though differences over core issues such as territorial concessions remained unresolved. Witkoff described the discussions as productive, stating that “meaningful progress” had been achieved in the talks. He suggested that new trilateral negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States could soon take place. Kushner emphasized that the U.S. was working “behind the scenes” to create the conditions necessary for a potential deal, acknowledging the difficulty of the task ahead. Zelenskyy outlined his country’s immediate needs, focusing on military assistance, including advanced air defense systems like the Patriot missile battery. He warned that if the war continued into the winter, Ukraine would require a substantial increase in Western support, which he referred to as a “winter package.” Zelenskyy welcomed the presence of European allies in Kyiv, stating that all parties were aligned in their goals. The U.S. delegation’s visit coincided with broader diplomatic efforts aimed at restarting negotiations. According to a French presidential aide, the American envoys conveyed that Russia showed a “new willingness” to engage in talks following the parliamentary elections in September. This sentiment was echoed by Witkoff, who noted that there was “movement in planning further trilateral talks.” However, no specific dates or locations for these discussions have yet been confirmed. The visit to Kyiv marked a shift in U.S. diplomacy under former President Donald Trump, who has sought to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv. This is the eighth time the U.S. delegation has visited Moscow since Trump took office, but their first trip to Kyiv. Despite the symbolic significance of the visit, the practical impact on the ground remains limited. During a press conference in Kyiv, the U.S. envoys faced pointed questions from Ukrainian journalists regarding the nature of their engagement with Putin. One journalist asked Witkoff whether he found it repulsive to sit down with a “war criminal,” while another questioned whether Putin was still open to holding talks with Trump and Zelenskyy. Witkoff responded cautiously, emphasizing the pursuit of a diplomatic resolution without directly addressing the ethical implications of engaging with Putin. The departure of Witkoff and Kushner from Kyiv followed a brief respite from the ongoing attacks, offering a temporary break from the relentless conflict. However, the fundamental divide between Moscow and Kyiv persists, with each side maintaining its core positions on the war’s outcome. The U.S. envoys left Kyiv with no clear indication of imminent breakthroughs, but with the possibility of renewed dialogue. As the war enters its fifth year, the prospects for a negotiated settlement remain uncertain, with both sides continuing to prepare for extended hostilities.