Zelensky sees possible de-escalation as Moscow signals readiness for talks

Moscow has signaled readiness to resume negotiations on the Ukraine war to US President Donald Trump's envoys, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios, anticipating possible de-escalation this winter. Zelensky stated Putin "needs Trump" and does not want to anger him ahead of November's US midterm elections. The Kremlin appeared "ready to talk," Zelensky added, citing messages conveyed by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who traveled to Moscow and Kyiv over the weekend. Washington's demands for facilitating peace include potential de-escalation before or during winter, with fields like energy, grain, electricity, oil, and gas under discussion. Both sides have intensified attacks on infrastructure in recent months. Russia targets Ukrainian energy production and Black Sea grain shipping, while Kyiv strikes Russian oil refineries and terminals. Witkoff called the weekend tour "significant progress" toward trilateral talks, though Trump's pledge to end the war "in a day" remains unfulfilled.