Zelensky says he had ‘a very good conversation’ with Witkoff and Kushner over Christmas
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday he had “a very good conversation” with President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Christmas Day.
He said they discussed “some substantial details of ongoing work” on a possible peace deal with Russia, although he did not specify what issues they discussed.
“I thank them for their constructive approach, intensive work, kind words and Christmas wishes to the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky said in a statement published on X. “We are truly working 24/7 to bring the end of this brutal war of Russia against Ukraine closer.”
CBS News has contacted the White House for comment on the discussions.
Zelensky said he was joined on the call by Ukraine’s national security adviser, Rustem Umerov, and other members of his diplomatic team. He said Umerov would speak again with Witkoff and Kushner later today.
He added: “I also asked the guys to extend our Christmas wishes to Donald Trump and the entire Trump family. Thank you!”
The American envoys also held talks with the Russian side. Kirill Dmitriev, who heads the Russian sovereign wealth fund, traveled to Miami for last weekend’s meetings.
Despite the discussions, in the days leading up to the holiday, Russia maintained its missile and drone bombardment Ukrainian cities, while a Russian general was killed in the explosion of a car bomb in Moscow.
Earlier this week, Zelensky said he would be ready to withdraw his troops from the industrial heartland of the country’s east as part of a plan to end the war, if Moscow also withdrew and the region became a demilitarized zone monitored by international forces.
The proposal offered a potential compromise on control of the Donbas region, which is a major sticking point in peace negotiations. Moscow captured most, but not all, of Donbass and insisted that Ukraine give up the remaining territory – an ultimatum that Ukraine rejected.
Zelenskyy said the United States had proposed making it a “free economic zone,” but it was unclear what that idea would mean for the region’s governance or development.
A similar arrangement could be possible for the area around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian control, Zelenskyy said. He said any peace plan should be subject to a referendum.
