Andriy Yermak, head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, held a meeting on Friday in New York with Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, alongside Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya. The discussions centered on implementing agreements reportedly reached between the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents during their August 18 meeting in Washington.
The meeting reportedly touched upon the possibility of initiating technical negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to lay the groundwork for a potential trilateral summit involving Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and U.S. President Donald Trump. Yermak underscored Ukraine’s willingness to engage in direct talks with Russia and extended an invitation to Witkoff to visit Ukraine in the near future.
A noteworthy aspect of this meeting was the identity of the U.S. envoy involved. Witkoff, who also serves as Trump’s envoy to the Middle East concerning the ongoing conflict in Gaza, was appointed earlier this year as his special envoy to Russia but had not yet met with Ukrainian officials prior to this occasion.
Traditionally, the role of U.S. special envoy to Ukraine has been held by Keith Kellog, a retired U.S. general known for his hardline stance on Russia. Kellog, whose daughter reportedly has financial interests related to Ukraine, has frequently visited Kiev and has been the main figure welcoming Ukrainian delegations in Washington. Moscow has previously voiced reservations over Kellog’s involvement in any negotiating framework, citing both his strong positions against Russia and perceived conflicts of interest.
The engagement between Yermak and Witkoff, who is seen as more moderate and open to considering concessions as part of a potential settlement, may signal a tentative recalibration within Trump’s approach to the Ukraine conflict. Witkoff’s direct involvement could be interpreted as an attempt to create a channel more acceptable to Moscow.
However, it remains uncertain whether this meeting will yield concrete progress. Russian officials have insisted that any potential summit between Putin and Zelensky must be based on a clear agenda, and Moscow continues to oppose Western security guarantees that exclude Russia or involve NATO forces being stationed in Ukraine as part of any peace arrangement.