Witkoff and Kushner may visit Kyiv for the first time after Easter - Budanov
Kyiv • UNN
A US delegation led by Trump's envoys may arrive in Ukraine in April. Kyiv expects clarification on security guarantees for ending the war.
Ukraine expects envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to lead a US delegation to Kyiv this month, the head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office said, as efforts to revive peace talks begin, UNN reports with reference to Bloomberg.
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The team may arrive shortly after Orthodox Easter, which is celebrated on April 12, Kyrylo Budanov told Bloomberg.
Although special envoy Witkoff and Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, have repeatedly visited Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin, this will be their first visit to Ukraine. Budanov said that Republican Senator Lindsey Graham may also be part of the team.
Zelenskyy had previously invited American negotiators to come to Kyiv, but did not specify the timing of a potential visit. He also said that a stop in Ukraine could precede the team's next trip to Moscow.
"If it doesn't work with all three of us, then let's do it this way — one by one," Zelenskyy said this week. "I have heard positive signals from partners regarding such a proposal."
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The publication adds that a US official said that a potential trip by Witkoff and Kushner to Ukraine is being discussed, but has not yet been confirmed.
Ukraine wants clarification on the exact nature of the security guarantees that the US will provide to prevent future Russian aggression as part of any agreement with Moscow to end the current conflict, which is now in its fifth year.
"Kushner, Witkoff, Lindsey Graham — these are the ones expected to come. Who else will be there — we'll see," Budanov said.
Media add that the US continues to mediate peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia, although talks that were supposed to take place in the United Arab Emirates in early March have been postponed. Neither side has achieved a decisive breakthrough on the battlefield, and they remain far apart on the terms of a potential cessation of hostilities.
The Kremlin wants Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the Donetsk region in the east of the country, including areas that Russian forces do not control, while Kyiv insists on holding the current front line.
The US has proposed creating a so-called free economic zone there, which will not be under the control of either country.
Ukraine is also concerned about the level of security guarantees that will be provided by the US and activated if Russia resumes its attacks. Budanov said that Kyiv could receive stronger guarantees after the visit of the American delegation.
"We have long decided what we want. I think this will be implemented in the near future," Budanov said. "What happens next is another question. But regarding security guarantees, we have definitely made progress – we have already moved forward."
Separately, Budanov said that Ukraine has received requests from foreign allies to stop regular airstrikes on Russian oil refineries amid rising global oil and fuel prices caused by the war in Iran, which is now in its sixth week.
"Let's answer this diplomatically. We are receiving certain signals about this," he said, without going into details. He also expressed optimism that the conflict in the Persian Gulf could end soon.