Zelensky Speaks with Trump Envoys, Seeks to End War with Russia

President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed he spoke with United States special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Zelensky hopes the US can reinvigorate diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia. The discussion took place on Wednesday (22/7/2026), as peace efforts had previously reached an impasse after Washington’s attention shifted to dynamics in the Middle East, while Russia maintained its hardline demands for Ukraine to cede parts of its territory. “I have just spoken with President Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. It was a very good and important conversation about how to revive diplomacy and bring peace closer,” Zelensky wrote on his X account. “Peace is desperately needed—a dignified peace—and Ukraine has long been ready for it. Our teams continue to maintain close communication, including to follow up on the matters we discussed,” he added. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated he would meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday (23/7/2026) on the sidelines of a regional summit in Manila. The meeting is scheduled to discuss developments in the war in Ukraine and the situation in Iran. In recent months, Kyiv has been assessed as successfully holding back Moscow’s offensive in the east, while simultaneously expanding the reach of its drone strikes into Russian territory, disrupting daily life there in the fifth year of the invasion. On the other side, Moscow has intensified its missile attacks on Kyiv, launching dozens of munitions that are difficult to intercept, as Ukraine struggles with limited air defence supplies. Russia has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine withdraw from the parts of the eastern Donbas region it still controls as a key condition for a peace deal. Kyiv, however, has firmly rejected that demand. The armed conflict has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and stands as the deadliest war in Europe since World War II.