US envoys shuttle between Moscow and Kyiv, but peace remains distant

Top US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner shuttled between Moscow and Kyiv this weekend to restart peace talks, but a lasting agreement remains distant. They met Vladimir Putin Saturday and Volodymyr Zelensky Sunday, with details of the discussions kept secret. The talks followed brief, reciprocal ceasefires declared for the US visit, though fighting continued elsewhere in Ukraine, killing at least nine people. Russian officials called the Moscow meeting "constructive," and economic projects were discussed, but a US 20-point plan was previously rejected by both sides over territorial disputes. The negotiations mark a fresh start after Washington shifted focus to Iran, with the AP noting America lost momentum in Ukraine. Despite the diplomatic gestures, the war rages on, with Ukraine striking Russian refineries and Russia exploiting Ukraine's missile defense shortages.