Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a “very good” conversation with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on Christmas Day as negotiations continued over the terms of a possible peace deal.
“I thank them for their constructive approach, their hard work and their kind words and Christmas wishes to the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky said in a statement.
The two sides discussed “certain substantial details” about the ongoing peace talks and the conversation generated
The Ukrainian leader was joined on the call by other diplomats, including Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov.
Umerov will have further talks with Kushner and Witkoff later this Thursday (25), Zelensky said.
“We believe this is the right approach – not to miss a single day or a single opportunity that could bring us closer to the outcome. Let today’s conversation be another step towards peace,” he said.
At a press conference held in Moscow on Thursday morning (25), Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that there is “slow but steady” progress being made in the negotiation process between Russia and the US.
She went on to accuse the European Union of maintaining its commitment to “aggravate the conflict and prolong hostilities”.
In his Christmas address, Pope Leo XIV also appealed for peace in Ukraine.
“May the clamor of arms cease and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue,” said the religious leader.
The Trump administration’s peace efforts have made gradual progress in recent weeks.
Over the weekend, a Ukrainian delegation led by Umerov and Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev met separately with their American counterparts in talks that Witkoff described as “constructive and productive.”
On Tuesday, Zelensky presented new details about a , a political document between us, the United States, Europe and the Russians.”
The Ukrainian president also discussed specific details of security guarantees between Ukraine, the United States and European countries, which would form a crucial part of any peace agreement with Russia.
The plan would involve the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from areas of the Donetsk region, Zelensky said.
Subsequently, Russia would need to withdraw its forces equivalent to the ground ceded by Ukrainian troops, effectively establishing a demilitarized zone around some of the current front lines.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is “currently analyzing the materials” of the proposal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Ukraine needs to effectively cede the entire Donetsk region for a peace plan to work.
“We prefer to do this, and eliminate the root causes of the conflict, through diplomacy,” Putin said at the annual meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry.
“If the adversary country and its foreign allies refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical territories by military means,” he added.
Trump has said the end of the war in Ukraine is closer than ever, but an official agreement acceptable to both sides has not yet materialized.
The diplomatic exchanges took place as Russia continues to launch lethal attacks against Ukrainian targets.
The most recent campaign focused on Odessa, Ukraine’s main port city, located on the Black Sea.
and surrounding areas, in addition to damage to port infrastructure and civil vessels.
On Tuesday, Russia launched one of its largest airstrikes against Ukraine this month, killing at least three people and wounding at least 17 others.
According to Ukraine’s armed forces, Kiev’s troops retreated from the city of Siversk in the east of the country due to “active offensive operations” by Russian forces.
In turn, Ukrainian security services have stepped up drone and sabotage operations against Russian combat aircraft and submarines this month, carrying out long-range drone strikes against Russian airfields in occupied Crimea and southern Russia.
On Christmas Eve, Zelensky said Kiev’s armed forces were on alert for possible attacks and called on Ukraine’s intelligence services to “significantly intensify their work.”
“We understand that precisely on these days they can — this is in their nature — carry out massive attacks on Christmas,” Zelensky published in X. He added that the authorities held a meeting on the defense of Ukrainian locations, especially between December 23 and 25.
Meanwhile, a Russian general was killed in a car bombing in Moscow this week, and authorities point the finger at Ukraine as responsible for the latest apparent murder of a high-ranking military officer.
