Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he held an extensive discussion with US envoys as a series of meetings involving Ukrainian and Russian officials takes shape, beginning with a White House session hosted by US First Lady Melania Trump.
The diplomatic push comes ahead of talks in Abu Dhabi on 10 and 11 November, where negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States are due to sit down together for the first time since February.
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The planned discussions have rekindled hopes of a path towards peace as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its fifth year. But the recent rapprochement between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has also prompted fears that Washington could distance itself from Kyiv.
“We just had a very detailed, hour-and-a-half-long conversation with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner,” Mr Zelensky wrote in a post on X yesterday evening while visiting Madrid.
His comments followed a statement from Ms Trump’s White House office saying the first lady would convene Russian and Ukrainian representatives, though it did not give a date for the meeting.
Melania Trump last month announced a localised truce between Ukrainian and Russian forces
Kirill Dmitriev, Moscow’s adviser for international economic cooperation, and Yana Lantratova, Russia’s human rights ombudsman, are expected to meet Ms Trump “provided that all logistical arrangements work out”, Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency reported, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said he would also hold talks with Ms Trump in Washington.
Separate meetings are taking place in Brussels involving representatives of the European Union, the United Kingdom, NATO and the United States.
Last month, Ms Trump announced a localised truce between Ukrainian and Russian forces to enable residents of Oleshky, on the southern front, to leave after weeks without sufficient food and medicine.
The unusual pause in hostilities was observed by both sides, allowing roads to be demolished and residents to travel to either Ukraine or Russia.
Mr Zelensky awarded Ms Trump a national honour in recognition of her role in brokering the partial ceasefire.
