San Francisco Frontiers - US envoys hold talks with Zelensky on first Kyiv visit

The Americans arrived in the Ukrainian capital by train, hoping to revive negotiations to end Europe's worst conflict since World War II, after a summer of escalation.

Zelensky published a video of meeting US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Kushner and business partner Witkoff in central Kyiv, saying: "Talks have begun."

Witkoff and Kushner have visited Moscow eight times but had never held talks in Kyiv -- hit by deadly strikes since Russia's February 2022 invasion -- until now.

Ukraine's top security officials and negotiators were also present, along with several European national security advisors.

Zelensky showed the US envoys Kyiv's historic Saint Sophia's Cathedral, opposite the SBU security building, hit by a Russian drone Friday.

Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions.

Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin on Saturday to "advance President Trump's agenda of peace in the Russia-Ukraine War", a White House official said in a statement to AFP.

"The two sides discussed substantive plans for next steps, which will be announced in the coming weeks, and look forward to equally productive meetings tomorrow in Ukraine."

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov called the talks "extremely frank", saying the Americans "put forward a number of ideas on possible routes to a settlement", but did not elaborate.

The Russian side told the Americans that Moscow was "confident" it could achieve its military goals of seizing the rest of eastern Ukraine, Ushakov added.

Both Russia and Ukraine have vowed not to strike each other's capitals for three days around the Americans' visit.

Zelensky on Sunday said Ukraine was "ready for the conversation".

"Ukraine has always been and will remain constructive," the wartime leader said on social media ahead of their visit.

The country's airspace has been closed since Moscow launched the war, and visiting leaders have been arriving by train.

For many Ukrainians, hopes of a breakthrough remain slim.

"At this point it doesn't give me any hope. There have already been too many negotiations," Yaroslav, a 29-year-old Kyiv resident, told AFP.

- Putin thanks Trump -

In televised comments before the talks, Putin said Russia would ensure the safety of the envoys in Kyiv.

"We will do everything that depends on us to ensure the safety of the negotiation process and mediators such as yourselves," Putin told Witkoff and Kushner.

Earlier Saturday, Putin had thanked Trump for persisting in his efforts to end the war despite it being "not simple".

Of the envoys' trip to Kyiv, he said: "No matter what happens next, contacts of this kind are undoubtedly always beneficial."

Trump said on Friday his envoys were bringing a "proposal" to end the fighting.

"We have an idea for peace," he said, without elaborating.

US efforts have so far not led to a breakthrough in the war, and peace efforts have stalled, in part because of Washington's war with Iran.

Russia has occupied large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, and Putin has insisted Moscow is intent on seizing the rest of eastern Ukraine.

- Limited truce -

Despite the ceasefire pledges for the capital cities, fighting continued elsewhere.

Ukraine's air force said Russia had attacked overnight with 108 drones and missiles, while Moscow said it had shot down 258 drones.

On Saturday, Putin said he had "noted that the Ukrainian side significantly reduced" its strikes on Russia and Moscow.

However, Kyiv said that Russian strikes had killed 10 people across the country Saturday -- including a child and his family members in the Kharkiv region and two people outside Kyiv.

M.Powell--SFF