U.S. invites Ukraine to follow-up talks after Witkoff–Putin meeting

Sybiha made the statement after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers concluded in Brussels. According to the minister, Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council and head of the Ukrainian delegation, spoke by phone with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. On Dec. 2, Witkoff, along with U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, spent nearly five hours in a meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Moscow. 

As reported by Ukrainian news outlet LIGA.net, Sybiha was told Washington is pleased with the talks, although there is no indication the Kremlin is willing to compromise on its maximalist demands for a ceasefire.

“I want to confirm that the U.S. delegation heard the Ukrainian side, and the document is still being developed,” said the minister.

“Some of the most sensitive issues [further territorial concessions] have been set aside for [U.S. and Ukrainian] leaders to consider.” 

Earlier on Dec. 3, Kyiv Post reported that a meeting between Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, scheduled that day in Europe following the Moscow talks, was canceled.

On Dec. 2, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov, commenting on the dictator's meeting with the U.S. delegation, stated that the sides have not yet reached a compromise on the peace plan.

"There is no compromise version of the plan on Ukraine yet; some American proposals are acceptable to the Russian Federation, some are not," Ushakov stated.