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Zelensky: War with Russia Likely to Continue into Winter After US Envoy Talks
Confirmed
In Short: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expects the war with Russia to continue into winter, following talks with US envoys in Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that the war with Russia is likely to continue into the winter, following a round of talks with US envoys in Kyiv. According to reports, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the support of European partners and the United States during the discussions.
During the talks, US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials. Witkoff said, "We’ve had a very meaningful discussion, substantive, important, and we are very encouraged and we look forward to continuing this as long as it takes," according to Al Jazeera.
The talks also included British, French, and German national security advisers, marking the second round of discussions in Kyiv since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. Zelenskyy stated, "We are grateful that the Europeans are with us today… Here we are all on the same side," as reported by Al Jazeera.
Ukraine's top security officials and negotiators were also present during the talks. Zelenskyy added that the war with Russia "at the moment" looked likely to continue into winter, in televised comments before the talks. He also said that Ukraine would hold further talks with the US, France, and Germany, though he did not elaborate on the details.
Ushakov, a Ukrainian official, called the talks "extremely frank," saying the US team "put forward a number of ideas on possible routes to a settlement," according to Al Jazeera. Putin, meanwhile, said Russia would ensure the safety of the envoys while in Kyiv. Trump's envoys said they were bringing a "proposal" to end the fighting, according to Al Jazeera.
The visit by the US envoys to Kyiv was seen as significant, with Zelenskyy publishing a video of himself meeting Trump's envoys in central Kyiv, saying, "Talks have begun." The talks, according to Witkoff, were "substantive" and "important," indicating a potential shift in the diplomatic approach to the conflict.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Al Jazeera’s Audrey MacAlpine, reporting from Kyiv, said little new information came out of the talks.
- “We very much hope that we will be able to reach agreements with our American partners, and we are counting on the support of our European partners if the war continues in winter – and this is how it appears at the moment,” he said.