Talks in Kyiv/Zelensky warns war will continue through winter, Witkoff calls on both sides to compromise

Following his meeting with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that, although he regarded the talks as “positive,” the war with Russia appears likely to continue through this winter “for the moment.”

“We sincerely hope to reach agreements with our American partners and are counting on the support of our European partners if the war continues through the winter, which at this stage appears to be the likely scenario,” Zelensky said at a press conference following the meeting.

The Ukrainian president said that the talks also addressed security issues, economic guarantees for Kyiv and a plan for prosperity.

As for territory, one of the main points of contention in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Zelensky said a solution could be reached only through direct negotiations between the heads of state.

“I want to reaffirm my position that such complicated issues can be resolved only at the level of leaders,” he said after the first meeting in Kyiv with representatives of Donald Trump.

Zelensky has repeatedly called for a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to discuss the territorial issue, but the Kremlin has so far rejected such a meeting.

Meanwhile, US envoy Steve Witkoff urged Moscow and Kyiv to accept “compromises” in order to find a way out of the war, which has caused losses on both sides.

“Both sides need to compromise and narrow the differences between them. We believe we have the necessary elements to achieve this,” Witkoff said at a press conference following his first talks in Kyiv.

He acknowledged that the process was “very difficult,” but emphasized the determination and commitment of the US side to advance a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

Witkoff said he was pleased with the talks held in both Moscow and Kyiv, adding that the United States hoped to achieve a diplomatic solution to the war, which has now entered its fifth year.