Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed deep frustration at U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for visiting Moscow repeatedly without coming to Kyiv, calling it a clear sign of disrespect amid fragile ceasefire efforts.
Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy and a former real estate developer, has made eight trips to the Russian capital, meeting Vladimir Putin several times, including late last year and in January as negotiations to end Ukraine’s war gained momentum. Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, joined him on those visits. Yet neither has ever travelled to Kyiv officially.
“It’s disrespectful [for them] to come to Moscow and not Kyiv, it’s just disrespectful,” Zelenskyy said in a recent interview with a Ukrainian outlet. “I understand we have complex logistics. If they don’t want to, we can meet in other countries.”
Early April reports suggested the pair planned a Ukraine trip, but it never happened as U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran shifted priorities. “But in any case, for us it is important to continue cooperating with the Americans,” Zelenskyy added.
Talks intensified in autumn 2025 after U.S.-Russia plans emerged with terms unfavourable to Kyiv, leading to trilateral summits. By February, agreements covered some military matters like frontlines and monitoring, but disputes rage over deported children, regime change demands, and Donbas control, where Russia insists on sovereignty over the east.
“We are looking for a compromise between two completely polar positions,” said Kyrylo Budanov, Zelenskyy’s intelligence chief, in February. “We have not yet found it.” He added that both sides must either solve it or own the continued bloodshed, which they conduct with grim efficiency.
Russia’s 2022 invasion has devastated Ukraine for over four years, with nightly drone and missile barrages, including last week’s 700-plus projectiles that killed 18 civilians. Ukraine hits back at Russian energy sites, crippling 20% of exports, though oil revenues soar amid global chaos.
The Druzhba pipeline halt earlier this year, caused by a Russian strike, saw Hungary block €90 billion in EU aid for Ukraine. Zelenskyy announced repairs on Tuesday, paving the way for potential approval if Hungary relents.