Top Zelensky adviser invites Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff to Ukraine after latest Russia attack
Ukrainian Officials Meet with US Special Envoy to Discuss Russia-Ukraine War
During a meeting in New York, Andriy Yermak, the right-hand man to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, extended an invitation to special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff to visit Ukraine. This marked the first in-person meeting between high-ranking Kyiv officials and the Trump administration as part of efforts to end the 42-month-old Russia-Ukraine war.
Yermak and Ukraine’s First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sergiy Kyslytsya, met with Witkoff to advance diplomatic efforts and ensure the implementation of agreements made during the Washington summit. A White House official confirmed the meeting but provided no further details.
The meeting followed Russia’s recent missile and drone attack on Kyiv, which resulted in casualties. Yermak emphasized Russia’s failure to fulfill obligations to end the war, accusing them of prolonging hostilities.
Yermak expressed Ukraine’s openness to peace initiatives from the US but highlighted Russia’s obstruction of progress. He called for global pressure to push Russia towards genuine peace efforts and emphasized the need for direct negotiations at the leaders’ level.
Kyslytsya noted that the meeting was constructive and aimed at finding solutions to implement agreements between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States. The Trump administration has been represented by special envoy Keith Kellogg in Ukraine, with Witkoff handling negotiations with Russia.
Kellogg recently concluded his third visit to Ukraine, while Witkoff has visited Moscow multiple times for negotiations. The Ukrainian officials met with Witkoff in New York during the listing of telecom giant Kyivstar on the NASDAQ exchange.
While in the US, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko attended the event but did not participate in the Witkoff meeting. The discussions underscored the ongoing efforts to address the conflict in Ukraine and seek a peaceful resolution.
