Over the past two days, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, have held intensive negotiations. This was confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as reported by The Guardian. The President made this statement while visiting the site of a devastating Russian strike in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, where rescue operations were still underway.
Although details of the discussions remain undisclosed, Zelenskyy emphasized the frequency of the communication. The Ukrainian leadership is under immense pressure as the death toll from recent Russian missile attacks continues to rise. The President stressed that he still expects a visit from Kushner and Steve Witkoff to Ukraine, noting that current U.S.-backed peace efforts have been stalled for several months.
“They need to come, assess the situation on the ground, and explain to Russia that it is time to sit down and stop this war,” Zelenskyy remarked. The Ukrainian government is actively leveraging international diplomatic channels to demand accountability and increased military support, particularly in the realm of air defense systems like Patriot and the newly discussed ‘Freya’ anti-missile program, which is set to be a key agenda item at the upcoming NATO summit in Turkey.
Zelenskyy expressed his intention to meet with Donald Trump on the sidelines of the summit, hoping to break the deadlock in diplomatic relations. As the conflict rages on, the necessity for a unified strategy between Kyiv and Washington has never been more urgent. The survival of Ukraine’s infrastructure and the safety of its citizens depend on the tangible outcomes of these high-stakes negotiations, as Kyiv continues to fight against the relentless Russian terror machine.