Overview
- U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff carried out rapid shuttle diplomacy that produced an agreement to resume trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia.
- Kushner said Washington has assembled most elements of a peace package but its completion is blocked by Ukraine's refusal to cede territory to the line Russia demands.
- Ukrainian officials say future rounds must include U.S. and European participation and should prioritize cutting airstrikes, protecting civilian infrastructure, and keeping Black Sea shipping open.
- Diplomacy is proceeding while fighting and strikes continue, and previous trilateral rounds delivered humanitarian results like prisoner swaps but no political breakthrough.
- Negotiators and officials warn the window to secure a deal is narrow because winter, Ukraine's air‑defence needs, and ongoing hostilities raise the human and strategic costs of delay.