Zelenskyy says US to hold separate talks in Moscow and Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that US officials have confirmed plans to hold separate talks in Moscow and Kyiv, with the Ukrainian side expecting the Kyiv meeting to take place in the coming days.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s negotiating team has maintained round-the-clock communication with US representatives and recently held a dedicated working meeting to advance preparations for the talks. He added that a preliminary schedule has been arranged.

The Ukrainian president said Kyiv was fully prepared to hold substantive discussions with the US side in the Ukrainian capital, with a focus on practical issues.

The announcement came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin held a press conference following his visit to Kyrgyzstan.

Addressing the current negotiation process over the Ukraine conflict, Putin said any talks must have substantive content, adding that negotiations on the conflict are currently “frozen.”

Putin also said US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner remain welcome in Russia, and that Moscow was willing to continue working with them.

Regarding developments on the battlefield, Putin said Russian forces had been instructed to prepare for large-scale strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

“They strike our factories, and they will receive a response,” Putin said.