Kushner says Ukraine refuses territorial concessions, stalling peace talks

During a panel at the Yalta European Strategy conference, Jared Kushner reported that President Vladimir Putin presented Russia’s demand for Ukraine to relinquish territory in the partially occupied Donbas region. Kushner said Kyiv is unwilling to accept such a withdrawal, insisting instead on a cease-fire along the existing front and Western-backed security guarantees. He described the United States’ role as mediator seeking a creative arrangement that protects Ukraine while encouraging Russia to cease hostilities, and urged both sides to consider post-war economic opportunities.

The remarks followed a joint trip by Kushner and Steve Witkoff to Moscow and Kyiv, where they presented revised peace proposals but found Putin seemingly intent on continuing the conflict. President Volodymyr Zelensky later warned that the war is likely to persist into winter despite renewed diplomatic efforts. The most concrete result of the envoys’ visit was an agreement to resume trilateral talks among Ukraine, the United States and Russia, which have previously facilitated humanitarian measures such as prisoner exchanges.