U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner described their talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as substantive and encouraging during their first official visit to Kyiv on Sunday.

The meeting marked the second stop on a diplomatic mission aimed at advancing peace efforts in the conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion more than four and a half years ago. The envoys arrived by train from Poland after Russian strikes prevented air travel.

Witkoff told reporters after the session, which included a working lunch, that the discussions had been “substantive, important, and we are very encouraged.” Kushner emphasized the goal of establishing conditions for a long-term, durable peace beyond merely ending the current fighting.

The Kyiv stop followed three hours of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday. A White House official described those discussions as covering substantive plans for next steps, which are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The envoys have visited Moscow multiple times but had not previously traveled to Ukraine in their current roles.

Temporary pauses in strikes on Moscow and Kyiv facilitated the travel and meetings. Ukrainian and Russian officials coordinated the measures around the envoys’ movements.

Zelenskyy welcomed the delegation in Sophia Square outside the historic Saint Sophia Cathedral. He expressed readiness for the conversation and noted that Ukraine had prepared proposals focused on security guarantees and a dignified post-war settlement. National security advisers from Britain, France, and Germany also participated in related sessions in Kyiv.

The envoys indicated interest in returning to a trilateral negotiation format involving the United States, Ukraine, and Russia. Additional talks were planned later Sunday.

Few observers anticipate an immediate breakthrough, but the trip signals an intensified push by the Trump administration to revive diplomatic efforts. The war has continued without a resolution despite prior mediation attempts.