U.S. to mediate new round of Ukraine-Russia talks, Witkoff says

In a post on X, Witkoff revealed the discussions will focus on "post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts, and next steps toward peace." American negotiators will meet this week with European allies and NATO representatives, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.

"We look forward to building on the progress made in Kyiv, Oslo, and St. Petersburg toward a comprehensive, durable peace agreement that delivers lasting security for generations to come," Witkoff stated.

Previous Talks

Ukraine and Russia have held several rounds of U.S.-mediated talks during President Trump's second term, typically resulting in prisoner exchanges or minor agreements. However, Putin has refused to drop his demand for Ukraine to accept Russia's unilateral annexation of seized territories, while Zelenskyy has consistently ruled out legitimizing Russia's territorial seizures by force.

Many U.S. European allies agree that accepting Putin's landgrab would set a dangerous precedent.

Current Situation

Witkoff's announcement follows a localized ceasefire in southern Ukraine's Kherson region that ended on Sunday. The brief truce allowed humanitarian supplies into the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky and evacuated some residents, credited to Melania Trump and Pope Leo.

Despite the temporary pause, Russia has continued strikes across Ukraine. At least 29 people were killed in a village in Zaporizhzhia, while a medical facility in Kharkiv was struck, wounding 25 people and forcing the evacuation of 200 patients.

Russia's defense ministry claimed it carried out a "massive strike" on Ukrainian energy facilities and Odessa port infrastructure. Moscow's mayor reported 500 Ukrainian drones targeting the capital were destroyed overnight.