Ukraine’s senior security official said Friday that Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow have taken part in an unprecedented three-way meeting designed to revive diplomatic efforts to halt Russia’s prolonged war against Ukraine, which has dragged on for nearly four years.
Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, disclosed the talks in a post on X, noting that the discussions brought together senior figures from all three sides. According to Umerov, the American delegation included Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Army Secretary Gen. Daniel Driscoll, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, and White House senior adviser Josh Gruenbaum. He said the participants examined possible avenues toward ending the most lethal conflict Europe has seen since World War II.
“The meeting focused on the parameters for ending Russia’s war and the further logic of the negotiation process aimed at advancing toward a dignified and lasting peace,” he said.
Ukraine’s delegation consisted of Umerov himself, parliamentary majority leader David Arakhamia, Kyrylo Budanov, who heads Ukrainian President Zelensky’s office, and Budanov’s deputy, Sergiy Kyslytsya.
On the Russian side, the Kremlin said its representatives included senior intelligence and defense officials, led by Igor Kostyukov, chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian army.
“These aspects: Buffer zones, various control mechanisms, are discussed at the meeting along with other important topics,” an unidentified source told Russia’s state-run TASS news.
Umerov said the trilateral discussions are expected to continue, with additional meetings planned for Shabbos.
{Matzav.com}
