Zelensky says US envoys report Russians ready for talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an Axios interview that the US is exploring whether Ukraine and Russia can take steps to de-escalate the war during the winter, and he believes the weeks before winter offer a window for diplomacy. Zelensky met Sunday in Kyiv with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, their first visit to Ukraine since Trump's second term began. He said the envoys conveyed that "Russians are ready for negotiations," though he remains skeptical given Russia's battlefield actions and recent escalation of attacks. Kushner said ending the war by winter is not guaranteed, but the US is working to create conditions for it. The envoys visited Moscow on September 5, where analysts say the Kremlin reiterated its unwillingness to make significant compromises, including on demands for Ukrainian territorial concessions and neutrality.