President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday, Sept. 6, that following two bilateral discussion rounds with US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, talks expanded into a third session joined by representatives from the UK, France, and Germany.
Speaking to reporters after concluding discussions with the US delegation, Zelensky thanked US President Donald Trump’s special envoys for traveling to Ukraine, noting that the trip fulfilled their earlier commitment and represented their first official visit to the Ukrainian capital.
“I thank Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for being in Ukraine. They promised us [to visit Ukraine], and this is their first visit to our capital,” Zelensky said, according to Ukrinform.
Zelensky expressed gratitude to the US and Trump for facilitating the American delegation’s trip to Kyiv following their prior meetings in Russia. He confirmed that the two sides had completed two panel discussions, with a formal press briefing scheduled for later in the day.
“I am very glad that we are now moving to the third discussion. It will be with representatives of the leaders of Great Britain, France, and Germany,” Zelensky said, highlighting the unified stance among Western partners.
“We are very grateful that the Europeans are with us today and that we are in the circle of such nations. For us, it is very important to do everything so that this war ends. Here, we are all on the same side.”
The president stressed that all participants share the common objective of ending the conflict through a durable and just settlement that permanently prevents any possibility of renewed Russian aggression against Ukraine.
“We all very much want there to be no war, no suffering, no loss of life, and for this war to end in a just peace for all of us, ending in such a way that there will never be any opportunity for the renewal of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
“And we must do everything to ensure this. I believe every such meeting, every fundamental meeting, will bring peace closer.”
Negotiations and envoys’ arrival
The multilateral consultations follow the official opening of negotiations earlier, when Zelensky met Witkoff and Kushner in Kyiv.
Upon their arrival at Kyiv’s central railway station, the US envoys were welcomed by senior Ukrainian officials, including Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov, First Deputy Head Sergiy Kyslytsya, Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU) Rustem Umerov, and parliamentary faction leader Davyd Arakhamia.
The Kyiv diplomatic marathon follows a three-hour-and-10-minute meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the US envoys at the Kremlin on Saturday evening, Sept. 5. During the Moscow talks, Russian officials discussed settlement proposals and bilateral commercial projects, with Putin agreeing to halt strikes on Kyiv for three days while rejecting a broader frontline ceasefire.