US envoys push peace deal in Kyiv after Moscow talks with Putin

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv on Sunday to pursue a peace deal ending the war in Ukraine, following a three-hour closed-door meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow that yielded no concrete breakthroughs. The White House emissaries were welcomed at Kyiv’s railway station by senior Ukrainian officials, including intelligence chief Kirilo Budanov and presidential aide Serguí Kislitsia. Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov described the Moscow talks as constructive and frank, adding that economic cooperation and potential joint projects were also discussed. Russia and Ukraine agreed to a three-day pause in attacks during the envoys’ visits, though Putin himself acknowledged the situation “is not easy.” The mission aims to relaunch peace negotiations under President Donald Trump’s initiative, with outcomes still uncertain.