Zelenskyy speaks with Witkoff, Kushner; hints at September meetings
Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko)
After a conversation with U.S. envoys Steve
Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Aug. 31, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
suggested that September could bring “significant changes” to the stalled peace
process.
In his evening address, Zelenskyy said the talks were in preparation for further communication with Moscow, as well as for Witkoff’s and Kushner’s long-awaited visit to Kyiv. He added the envoys were briefed on the battlefield situation in the Russo–Ukrainian war and dynamics of Russian drone strikes.
They also discussed what could be done to encourage Russia to pursue an end to the war, he said.
“The mood in Moscow and of [Russian dictator Vladimir] Putin must be the right one — a mood to end the war, not to continue fighting,” Zelenskyy said.
“Unfortunately, all intelligence assessments — ours and those of our partners — and all signals from Russia indicate that the Russian leader personally still craves war. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of Russian public, by the way, would agree to stop the war along the line of contact. We will see what the representatives of the U.S. president [Donald Trump] can achieve.”
The Ukrainian leader said September could bring “significant changes” and that Ukraine and its partners must do everything possible to protect civilians and achieve peace.
Also on Aug. 31, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was reported to have met with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit to discuss Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, The Economist, citing sources close to the
Kremlin, reported that Putin appeared to have decided to escalate the war
against Ukraine after several weeks of deliberation this summer. According to
the report, Putin believes his rule and life would be in danger if the war
ended without Russia capturing Donbas Oblast.
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