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Ukraine, Russia Frustrated With US Envoy Witkoff
Confirmed
In Short: Ukraine and Russia are growing increasingly frustrated with the U.S.-mediated peace process and with Washington's envoy, Steve Witkoff, according to people familiar with the matter.
Ukrainian officials say they see few new ideas from the U.S. side and little willingness to increase pressure on Russia.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin blames Witkoff for 'diplomatic' failures and his inability to pressure Ukraine into giving up territories that Russia failed to capture militarily.
During a round of trilateral negotiations, Witkoff sometimes left the negotiations without informing other participants where he was going.
In an April 11 meeting, Putin was sketching on a sheet of paper when Witkoff asked what he was drawing, an episode seen as emblematic of Witkoff's lack of understanding of the territorial issues.
The Kremlin has developed its own frustrations with Witkoff, believing he was partly responsible for the failure to achieve a breakthrough at last year's summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska.
Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Russia and Ukraine in early September to restart stalled negotiations, but behind the scenes, efforts are underway to sideline Witkoff.
Multiple initiatives are also seeking to disrupt Witkoff's close relationship with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Trump appears reluctant to dislodge Witkoff despite the growing frustrations.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine had proposed securing an agreement with Russia to halt attacks on critical infrastructure, accusing Moscow of targeting food, energy, and other basic facilities.
Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported that Russian strikes on Kyiv had killed one person and wounded seven since the start of the day.
Russian forces launched widespread missile, drone, and artillery attacks across Ukraine, causing civilian casualties and hitting regional infrastructure and commercial shipping in the Black Sea.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported facing a huge overnight barrage involving 174 drones from across Russia and Ukraine’s annexed Crimean Peninsula, alongside two Zircon antiship missiles.
What this adds
Ukraine and Russia continue to deny Trump's claims of a truce, with both sides engaging in intense attacks.
Witkoff's role in the peace process is under scrutiny, with efforts to sideline him and disrupt his relationship with the Russian envoy.
Background
Ukraine and Russia deny Trump's claims of a truce, as both sides continue intense attacks.
Ukraine has called for stronger US sanctions against Russia and has launched drone attacks on Russian industrial facilities, while Russian forces have struck several Ukrainian targets, causing civilian casualties.
What's confirmed
- Ukrainian officials say they see few new ideas from the U.S. side and little willingness to increase pressure on Russia.
- Meanwhile, the Kremlin blames Witkoff for 'diplomatic' failures and his inability to pressure Ukraine into giving up territories that Russia failed to capture militarily.
- During a round of trilateral negotiations, Witkoff sometimes left the negotiations without informing other participants where he was going.
- In an April 11 meeting, Putin was sketching on a sheet of paper when Witkoff asked what he was drawing, an episode seen as emblematic of Witkoff's lack of understanding of the territorial issues.
- The Kremlin has developed its own frustrations with Witkoff, believing he was partly responsible for the failure to achieve a breakthrough at last year's summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska.
- Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Russia and Ukraine in early September to restart stalled negotiations, but behind the scenes, efforts are underway to sideline Witkoff.
- Multiple initiatives are also seeking to disrupt Witkoff's close relationship with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
- Trump appears reluctant to dislodge Witkoff despite the growing frustrations.
- Zelenskyy said Ukraine had proposed securing an agreement with Russia to halt attacks on critical infrastructure, accusing Moscow of targeting food, energy, and other basic facilities.
- Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported that Russian strikes on Kyiv had killed one person and wounded seven since the start of the day.
- Russian forces launched widespread missile, drone, and artillery attacks across Ukraine, causing civilian casualties and hitting regional infrastructure and commercial shipping in the Black Sea.
- Ukraine’s Air Force reported facing a huge overnight barrage involving 174 drones from across Russia and Ukraine’s annexed Crimean Peninsula, alongside two Zircon antiship missiles.
What's still developing
- Kyiv and Moscow are growing increasingly frustrated with the U.S.-mediated peace process — and with Washington's Envoy Steve Witkoff, people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent.
- "This peace deal is about these so-called five territories," Witkoff said.
- The episode became emblematic of what Ukrainian officials saw as a deeper problem: Witkoff was discussing some of the most consequential questions of the war without appearing to fully understand the territorial issues at stake.
- Ukrainian officials who participated in the peace talks and are familiar with the Kremlin's thinking say Russian officials increasingly believe Witkoff played a role in the failure of last year's summit in Alaska and sometimes passes information to Trump in ways that did not accurately reflect what Moscow intended.
- Tuesday, September 15, 2026 · 1:09 PM ET In Short: Ukraine and Russia deny Trump's claims of a truce, as both sides continue intense attacks.
- Ukraine and Russia have denied claims made by former U.S.
- Trump's statements came a day after he accused the 'Russia/Ukraine war' of causing rising diesel prices globally, not Iran.
- Russian forces also shot down 222 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Ukraine attacked an industrial facility in Russia, damaging the site and several residential buildings in the southeastern Samara region.
- Zelenskyy's comments came on Monday after Trump claimed that Ukraine and Russia had decided to stop targeting each other's energy sites.
- “In connection with strikes carried out by the Russian Federation using jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles on the territory of Ukraine, military aviation operations have begun in Polish airspace,” the Polish Operational Command said.