Budanov does not expect conditions for a ceasefire to emerge before spring, but announced U.S.-mediated talks — NYT

Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov announced a new round of talks as part of peace efforts to end the war, mediated by the United States, expected later this month. He said this in an interview with The New York Times published on September 4, UNN reports.

Details

In the approximately hour-long interview, Budanov said that "talks mediated by the Trump administration are expected by the end of September, several days after Russia's parliamentary elections and several weeks before the U.S. midterm elections."

According to him, "the process is expected to resume with a visit to Kyiv by Steve Witkoff, the administration's peace envoy, and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law."

Although Witkoff and Kushner have traveled to Moscow several times, they have not been to Kyiv, despite numerous official invitations, the publication notes.

Although talks may resume this month, Budanov said, "conditions for a ceasefire are unlikely to emerge before spring." "Russia is expected to try to break Ukraine in another strategic winter bombing campaign, the fourth of the war," the publication said.

"The talks will lead to something sooner or later. You cannot fight all your life," he remarked.

Addendum

On September 3, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced "new momentum" in peace efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine, with the return of an active political and diplomatic phase, but noted that achieving this without American involvement was unrealistic.   

U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner planned to visit Moscow and Kyiv on September 5–6, but, according to a source cited by one media outlet, Witkoff "started to get scared." This prompted discussion of alternative plans.

It was reported back in July that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner had agreed to visit Kyiv for the first time as part of peace efforts to end the war.

At the end of August, it was reported that Witkoff and Kushner's visit to Ukraine, amid intensified Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, had been postponed but not canceled.

On September 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that a visit by U.S. President's special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Kyiv could take place in the coming days, but that they would first visit Moscow.

On September 4, a Russian media source reported that American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would visit Russia and Ukraine on Saturday and Sunday, September 5 and 6.