Zelenskyy speaks with Witkoff and Kushner on ending the war in Ukraine
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (president.gov.ua)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner to discuss ways to end the war.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andrii Hnatov also participated in the conversation.
"We covered many aspects and went through key points that could ensure an end to the bloodshed and eliminate the threat of a new Russian full-scale invasion, as well as the risk of Russia failing to honour its promises, as has happened repeatedly in the past," the president said.
He emphasized that Ukraine is committed to working transparently with the US to achieve lasting peace.
"We agreed on the next steps and formats for talks with the United States. I thank President Trump for such an intensive approach to negotiations," the president added.
Zelenskyy also noted that he is awaiting a detailed report from Umerov and General Hnatov, as not everything can be covered over the phone.
"We need to work closely with our teams on ideas and proposals. Our approach is that everything must be workable – every crucial measure for peace, security, and reconstruction," he said.
US peace plan
In November, the US presented Ukraine with a new 28-point plan to end the war. Its content appeared to favor Russia, prompting American and Ukrainian delegations to hold two weeks of consultations to finalize the document and make it more advantageous for Kyiv.
On December 2, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner visited Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and discuss the finalized plan.
A few days later, the Russian leader announced he had rejected part of the US proposals, adding that the document now contains 27 points divided into four packages. Earlier reports indicated that after talks with Ukraine, the plan had been reduced to 20 points.
According to The New York Times, one package addresses Ukrainian sovereignty, including limits on the size of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and missile ranges. Other packages cover territorial concessions, postwar economic cooperation between the US and Russia, and broader European security issues.
After meeting with the Kremlin, the US delegation returned to the United States to continue negotiations with the Ukrainian side.
Yesterday, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, who leads the Ukrainian delegation, said both sides discussed the results of the Moscow meeting and steps that could lead to the end of the war.
On Monday, Zelenskyy will visit London to meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. They are expected to discuss ongoing negotiations between the US and Ukrainian delegations regarding the peace plan.
