President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized senior U.S. envoys for engaging directly with Moscow while failing to visit Kyiv, describing the approach as “disrespectful” at a critical moment in efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking in an interview with a Ukrainian outlet, Zelensky took aim at U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, both of whom have held multiple rounds of talks in the Russian capital with President Vladimir Putin. Neither official has made an official visit to Ukraine.
“It’s disrespectful [for them] to come to Moscow and not Kyiv,” Zelensky said. “I understand we have complex logistics… If they don’t want to, we can meet in other countries.”
Witkoff, a former real estate magnate appointed by Donald Trump, has reportedly travelled to Moscow at least eight times, meeting Putin on several occasions as ceasefire negotiations gained momentum in late 2025 and early 2026. Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, has also participated in diplomatic efforts but has similarly avoided Kyiv.
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Zelensky noted that a planned visit by the U.S. envoys to Ukraine earlier this month never materialized, as Washington’s attention shifted toward escalating tensions in the Middle East. The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran less than two weeks after a trilateral summit involving Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. in mid-February, redirecting diplomatic focus away from the war in Ukraine.
Despite his criticism, Zelensky emphasized the importance of maintaining strong ties with Washington. “In any case, for us it is important to continue cooperating with the Americans,” he said.
Talks at a Standstill
Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have made only limited progress. Discussions intensified in autumn 2025 following reports that U.S. and Russian officials were working on a draft plan to end the conflict—one that Kyiv feared included concessions unfavorable to Ukraine.
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Subsequent negotiations brought Ukraine more directly into the process, and by February, both sides said they had reached preliminary agreements on certain “military issues,” including front-line positioning and mechanisms for monitoring a ceasefire.
However, major sticking points remain unresolved.
Ukraine continues to demand the return of thousands of children it says were forcibly deported by Russia since the invasion began. Moscow, meanwhile, has insisted on sweeping political changes in Kyiv, including what Ukrainian officials describe as calls for “regime change.”
The most contentious issue remains the status of the eastern Donbas region. Russia is pushing for control over the territory as part of any settlement—an outcome Ukraine has categorically rejected.
“We are looking for a compromise between two completely polar positions,” said Kyrylo Budanov, Zelensky’s chief of staff, in February. “We have not yet found it.”
He warned that failure to reach an agreement would mean continued bloodshed. “Either we find a solution and end this war, or we all equally take responsibility for admitting that we didn’t find a solution and continue to kill one another.”
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War Grinds On
More than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the war shows little sign of ending. Russian forces control large parts of eastern Ukraine, while fighting continues along an extended front line stretching from Luhansk in the northeast to Kherson in the south.
Ukrainian cities remain under frequent aerial assault. In one of the most intense recent attacks, Russia launched over 700 drones and missiles in a single night, killing at least 18 people and causing widespread damage to infrastructure.
Ukraine has responded by escalating its own long-range strikes, targeting Russian energy facilities, ports, and industrial sites deep inside Russian territory. These attacks have disrupted an estimated 20% of Russia’s export capacity, according to Reuters calculations.
Economic Ripple Effects
Despite the damage to infrastructure, broader geopolitical developments have complicated the economic picture. The energy crisis linked to tensions involving Iran has driven up global oil prices, providing Russia with a financial boost even as its overall economy continues to contract.
A Conflict Overshadowed
As global attention shifts increasingly toward the Middle East, Ukraine’s war risks slipping down the international agenda. For Kyiv, that shift is a growing concern—particularly as peace talks remain deadlocked and the human and economic costs of the conflict continue to mount.
Zelensky’s remarks underscore a broader frustration: that decisions about Ukraine’s future are still being discussed in rooms where Ukraine itself is not always present.
