Overview
- This weekend special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff flew to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin and then to Kyiv to brief Volodymyr Zelenskiy on new proposals to revive negotiations.
- The Kremlin said it “does not rule out” returning to trilateral talks and Witkoff wrote that the meetings produced “substantial progress” and a willingness to schedule follow‑up talks.
- President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Putin on Tuesday for about an hour to press for a swift end to the war and to keep U.S. mediation channels open.
- A reciprocal 72‑hour pause tied to the envoys’ visits expired and Russia resumed missile and drone strikes on Kyiv on Tuesday, killing and wounding civilians and damaging homes and infrastructure.
- Deep obstacles remain because Moscow demands territory and security guarantees Ukraine rejects, European officials say Russia has shown no tangible concessions, and Kyiv urgently needs winter air‑defense and energy support.