The United States is preparing another round of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, with the Trump administration seeking direct involvement from European partners in discussions on a possible settlement, US special envoy Jared Kushner has said.
In a post on X, Kushner said he and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had remained in contact with Russian, Ukrainian and European representatives following their recent meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He said Washington was now working to arrange direct engagement between Moscow and European partners while preparing the agenda for the next round of negotiations.
Kushner added that several new ideas had emerged from the recent consultations and were being examined as possible ways to narrow differences between the parties. Some could lead to breakthroughs, while others might develop into fresh proposals, he said, without disclosing details or indicating whether Moscow and Kyiv had accepted any of them.
Kushner Says Security Guarantees Key To Peace Deal
Kushner said a lasting settlement would require credible security guarantees for Ukraine and detailed arrangements to prevent another conflict.
He described NATO as an important component of European security and called for stronger military communication, deconfliction measures and mechanisms to prevent disputes from escalating.
The US envoy also stressed that European partners would be directly involved in the discussions and that any final agreement would require the approval of the relevant parties.
Addressing the gap between public statements and private negotiations, Kushner said both Moscow and Kyiv understood that compromises would be necessary to end the war.
“In our private discussions, both sides understand that practical compromises will be necessary to end this war,” he wrote.
He acknowledged the devastating human cost of the conflict and said the US team would continue working towards a settlement while keeping sensitive negotiations confidential.
Zelenskyy Rejects Giving Up Donbas
Kushner’s update comes amid renewed debate over the territorial questions at the centre of the peace process.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Washington had, for the first time, asked whether Kyiv would consider withdrawing from the Donbas region in exchange for NATO membership, according to Reuters.
Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would not surrender its territory. He said Kyiv was instead working with its partners on a broader security package that would include NATO and European Union guarantees, a strong Ukrainian military and a reconstruction plan backed by defined funding.
The latest diplomatic efforts indicate that negotiations are continuing, but major disagreements over territory and Ukraine’s future security arrangements remain unresolved. No final peace agreement has been announced.
