Zelenskyy: No Peace by Winter – The Russia-Ukraine war is likely to continue into the coming winter months, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
Zelenskyy’s observation came after he met with Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The talks marked the pair’s inaugural visit to the Ukrainian capital since Russia began its full-scale invasion back in February 2022.
Zelensky Speaking in UK Ukraine Government Photo
The pair had spent more than three hours with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow the day prior.
No Concrete Pledges Agreed
No ceasefire or territorial deal emerged from the visit, nor was any timetable set for a face-to-face summit between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. “If the war continues in winter, and this is how it appears at the moment,” Zelenskyy noted.
The Ukrainian leader said that the “winter package” of support discussed over the weekend would cover energy support, air defense and American liquefied natural gas.
However, the elephant in the room was surely Ukraine’s acute shortages of U.S.-made Patriot interceptors.
Washington remains highly reluctant to use more of its own stocks in Ukraine, as war with Iran continues to threaten its assets in the Middle East.
Interceptors Still Low
In August, Zelenskyy told CNN that Ukraine needs 10 percent of the U.S. Patriot interceptor stockpile to destroy the threat of Russia’s ballistic missile attacks. He said 5 percent would allow Kyiv to defend itself throughout the approaching winter.
Zelenskyy has also claimed that Ukraine requires its own anti-ballistic missile system in the long run. For now, Kyiv remains dependent on Western supplies as Russia continues its near-nightly barrages.
Kushner Still Cautious
Witkoff framed Sunday’s discussions as “very constructive and substantive,” but made clear that Washington believes neither side can get everything it wants.
“It’s going to take both sides to make some compromises and narrow the issues between them,” he outlined.
Kushner was also cautious, saying Trump was focused not simply on ending the fighting, but on setting up a framework for a “durable peace,” while acknowledging there was no certainty about any final peace deal.
The pair traveled to Kyiv by train after jetting to Poland. Zelenskyy said plans for them to land in Ukraine were abandoned because Russian strikes made the flight impossible. The Guardian reported that Russia had bombed Kyiv’s two main airports before the visit.
Russia and Ukraine agreed to suspend attacks on each other’s capitals for three days while the U.S. envoys traveled between Moscow and Kyiv. The BBC reported that Russia launched 108 long-range drones and small cruise missiles against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said air defenses downed 82 drones and six missiles.
Ukraine also said that its forces hit a Russian oil refinery, an airfield and two air-defense systems.
Putin’s Carries on Making Land Demands
Putin has demanded that Ukraine give up land Russia claims but has not fully captured, including the remaining Ukrainian-held parts of the Donbas. Zelenskyy rejected that again after Sunday’s talks.
“The question of the Donbas is not just a question of the Donbas,” he said. “I believe it is the question of the entire war – a war of survival and attrition.”
Zelensky said territorial questions were too consequential to be settled by lower-level negotiators and would have to be resolved by national leaders.
“Our army must be strong,” Zelenskyy said, calling it a “key security guarantee.”
The Moscow leg of the diplomatic push produced no announced breakthrough either. Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov called the Kremlin talks “constructive, extremely frank” and said Russia again raised what it calls the “root causes of the conflict.” Russian officials also discussed possible future U.S.-Russian economic projects.
“Kushner and Witkoff are making an effort, and we are making progress,” one unnamed Russian official told Axios.
More Meetings Now Scheduled
Still, after Sunday’s talks in Ukraine, the United States and European partners agreed to meet again soon. British, French and German national security advisers are also set to join in with the talks. Zelenskyy disclosed that the location had not yet been decided.
The Kremlin also said on Monday that it remained open to a renewed three-way format involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
“We, too, do not rule out the resumption of this trilateral format,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Reuters, although he acknowledged it was too early to discuss a venue or exact dates.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
