National security advisers from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany arrived in Kyiv on Sunday, Sept. 6, joining high-level diplomatic engagements alongside US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov confirmed the European presence while publishing footage welcoming the American delegation to the capital.
“Glad to welcome the American delegation headed by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Kyiv. Ahead lies an eventful day and important negotiations,” Budanov stated. “Representatives of our European partners – France, Great Britain, and Germany – are also in Kyiv. Together, we are all working to achieve a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
Reuters reported that national security advisers from the three European nations traveled to the Ukrainian capital concurrently with the US envoys. A diplomatic source cited by the agency did not specify the exact negotiation sessions or bilateral formats in which the European officials would participate.
President Volodymyr Zelensky subsequently clarified the format, explaining that consultations would proceed across several distinct stages rather than a single joint meeting, UA.News reported.
According to Zelensky, the Ukrainian negotiating team will first hold a dedicated bilateral discussion with Trump’s envoys before convening a second session with the European advisers.
“One session is expected – our conversation, then another session will be with European NSAs,” Zelensky said ahead of the meetings, using the acronym for national security advisers from Britain, France, and Germany. “Several important sessions [are planned].”
The phased schedule is designed to allow Kyiv to address core bilateral issues with the American delegation before broadening discussions into a wider European multilateral format.
Witkoff and Kushner’s arrival
The European advisers’ visit coincides with direct negotiations launched earlier Sunday between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at St. Sophia Square.
“Started negotiations,” Zelensky announced in a concise statement marking the official start of the consultations.
The talks represent the first visit by Trump’s peace envoys to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The American delegation arrived overland by train after Russian drone and missile strikes disrupted initial plans to land by plane at operational Ukrainian airfields.
Upon arriving at Kyiv’s central railway station earlier Sunday, the US envoys were welcomed by Budanov, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Sergiy Kyslytsya, Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU) Rustem Umerov, and parliamentary faction leader Davyd Arakhamia.
The diplomatic engagements in Kyiv follow a three-hour-and-10-minute Kremlin meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the US envoys on Saturday evening, Sept. 5. During the Moscow talks, Russian officials discussed settlement concepts and bilateral economic projects, while Putin agreed to halt strikes on Kyiv for three days but rejected a wider frontline ceasefire.