Kushner Reveals Putin's Conditions to End War, Ukraine Refuses
Efforts by the United States to end the Russia-Ukraine war have once again encountered a long-standing and difficult obstacle: territory. US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Jared Kusherek, stated that while most of the framework for a peace agreement has been drafted, disputes regarding the territories Ukraine must relinquish continue to hinder a final agreement.
Kushner made these remarks during the annual Yalta European Strategy (YES 2026) meeting in Kyiv on 11–12 September 2026. The forum took place after Kushner, alongside US envoy Steve Witkoff, conducted a series of diplomatic missions to Moscow and Kyiv in an attempt to revitalise the stalled negotiation process.
Kushner stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has communicated to the US delegation the territorial limits Moscow aims to achieve. Quoting Kushner, The Kyiv Independent noted, “President Putin has set the line he wishes to achieve.” Kushner subsequently stated that Ukraine is currently not prepared to withdraw its forces to that specific line.
However, there has been no detailed public explanation regarding the coordinates or the map of what Kushner refers to as Putin’s “line.” The Kyiv Independent suggests that Kushner appears to be referring to Russia’s demands for Ukraine to cede territories in the Donbas region that are still under Kyiv’s control. Therefore, the assertion that an agreement is merely awaiting Ukrainian territorial concessions is Kushner’s assessment of the negotiation process, rather than an agreement already accepted by Kyiv and Moscow.
Interfax-Ukraine provided broader context to these statements. According to the news agency, Kushner acknowledged that the US delegation has yet to find common ground between Russia and Ukraine regarding the final resolution of the war.
“The most difficult issue, as before, remains the issue of territory,” Kushlar said, as quoted by Interfax-Ukraine. He noted that developments on the battlefield are also influencing the negotiations as military conditions continue to change.
The issue is highly sensitive because Moscow is demanding concessions on territories that Russian forces have not even fully captured through military operations. The Donbas, comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, remains the focal point of the two sides’ differing positions. Russia demands that Ukraine cede these areas, while Kyiv refuses to surrender territories that remain under its control. Reuters also reported on 13 September that Moscow maintains its desire for Ukrainian concessions in the Donbas, while Kyiv rejects these demands.
Ukraine has historically preferred a ceasefire based on existing frontline positions and has requested security guarantees from Western nations to prevent future Russian attacks. The Kyiv Independent reported that this approach differs from the Kremlin’s position, which demands Kyiv cede parts of the Donbas not yet fully occupied by Russian troops.
This situation places US diplomacy at a complex crossroads. Accepting Russia’s demands could be viewed by Kyiv as ceding territory to an invading nation, whereas refusing to discuss territorial changes could potentially lead Moscow to maintain its demands and continue the war.
US Pushes for Trilateral Negotiations
Amidst this deadlock, Washington aims to bring Russia and Ukraine back to the negotiating table alongside the US. Kushner stated that a direct trilateral meeting is considered more productive than back-and-forth diplomacy between Moscow and Kyiv.
“We hope to discuss this in trilateral negotiations in the near future,” Kushner said, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine. Washington is reportedly working to organise such a format.
This effort gained momentum after Witkoff and Kushner travelled to Moscow on 5 September to meet Putin, before continuing to Kyiv on 6 September. Reuters reported that both envoys brought several new ideas which were subsequently discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy himself did not reject all the ideas presented by Washington. Following the meeting, he stated that some US proposals were worth further study, but he could not yet confirm whether the ideas could be realised into an agreement. Interfax-Ukraine reported that Kyiv promised to study the details of the peace package before presenting its final position.
The absence of an outright rejection of the entire package is significant in distinguishing two separate issues. Ukraine remains willing to engage in diplomacy and discuss a peace formula, but objects if the resolution of the war requires the surrender of territory based on Russian demands.
Reuters reported that Kyiv is even preparing for the possibility of resuming trilateral talks in October. The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, stated that preparations are underway, although the Kremlin has not yet confirmed the schedule or location for the next round of talks.