US facilitates Europe-Russia talks on Ukraine peace deal

The United States is facilitating direct engagement between Russia and Europe to advance a peace deal in Ukraine, Jared Kushner, President Trump's special envoy and son-in-law, said Saturday, following separate meetings with Russian and Ukrainian leaders this past week. Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the first U.S.-brokered talks since February concluded Wednesday with plans for a prisoner exchange and further discussions, but no wider peace deal. Kushner said new ideas emerged and are being explored, while preparing the agenda for the next round of trilateral talks. Zelenskyy warned that a proposed U.S. security framework for Europe could be dangerous, saying Moscow might use it to weaken NATO and alter borders, and reiterated Ukraine will not surrender territory or commit to neutrality. He stressed that security guarantees for Europe cannot exist without Ukraine, while European leaders insist decisions on continental security must be made by Europeans themselves.