Vitkov: The hope for peace is slim without talks with Russia
On September 6, U.S. envoy Vitkov, speaking alongside Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at a joint press conference in Kyiv, stated that America's role in mediating the Ukraine-Russia peace process is to push both sides back to the negotiating table, narrow their differences, and establish communication channels; the United States advocates resolving the Ukraine-Russia conflict through diplomatic means. Without dialogue with Russia, the possibility of peacefully resolving the dispute is virtually nonexistent.
When asked by reporters whether Russian leadership would be willing to attend a trilateral summit co-hosted by Trump and Zelenskyy, Vitkov responded: "We are committed to resolving conflicts through diplomacy, not military force—this has been President Trump’s consistent goal."
He explained that it is precisely because of this principle that he and Kushner traveled to Kyiv. Vitkov said Trump has already successfully concluded at least nine conflicts globally through this diplomatic approach, and more peace agreements may yet be achieved in the future.
"We have made substantial progress in Moscow and heard many new proposals. You’ve also heard President Zelenskyy mention the idea of a trilateral meeting—we expect official announcements on this matter soon. Numerous important and feasible new initiatives emerged during our discussions in Moscow and this meeting in Kyiv. Cooperation is key to solving problems."
Vitkov revealed that national security advisors from the UK, France, and Germany also participated in this round of negotiations.
"Our team is fully committed to conflict mediation. Both Ukraine and Russia must make concessions and narrow their differences. We now have all the conditions necessary to advance negotiations. As Kushner put it, reaching a settlement is far from easy—if it were simple, it would have already been done. The negotiation process is extremely difficult, but we remain resolute and genuinely hope to ultimately achieve a successful, peaceful, and diplomatically reached agreement."
Journalists pressed further, asking whether there were moral obstacles to meeting with Russian leaders.
Vitkov explained that he personally has visited Moscow eight times to communicate with Russian teams, and joint visits with Kushner have taken place at least three times.
"Putin and his team have consistently shown us respect. In handling such conflicts, maintaining a constructive relationship between parties is crucial. If we cannot engage both sides simultaneously, communication channels will break down, and the likelihood of achieving peace becomes extremely low."
The U.S. delegation first traveled to Moscow on the 5th to hear Russia’s position, then fully conveyed Russian demands to Zelenskyy and his team. A resolution requires mutual concessions from both sides.
The core mission of Vitkov and Kushner is to bridge the gap between Ukraine and Russia, reduce points of contention, and build communication channels. In the past 48 hours, the mediation efforts have already begun constructively, and the U.S. remains confident in achieving a satisfactory solution.
Previously, when asked if war could end before winter arrives, Kushner replied that peace agreement terms have not yet been finalized, and no document has been signed—thus, predicting a ceasefire timeline is premature. "Any agreement's implementation involves numerous uncertainties. Peace will only truly come once a document is signed. Breakthroughs might happen quickly, or the process may be long and winding—but the essential precondition is continuous meetings and dialogue."
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875634519767116/
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