Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly criticized U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, accusing them of showing insufficient respect toward Ukraine by traveling to Moscow without making a visit to Kyiv.
In an interview with a state news program, Zelensky said the imbalance in diplomatic outreach sends the wrong message at a time when Ukraine continues to defend itself under extreme wartime pressure. While acknowledging that travel to a country at war can be complicated, he stressed that other international officials have still made the trip to the Ukrainian capital.
Zelensky also suggested that a visit to Kyiv would serve the interests of the visitors more than Ukraine’s, underlining that what ultimately matters is not the venue of the talks, but whether they produce meaningful results.
On the military front, the Ukrainian leader again rejected Russia’s demand that Ukraine withdraw from the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. He described such a move as strategically unacceptable, warning that abandoning fortified positions and established defensive lines would significantly weaken Ukraine’s battlefield posture.
He added that an ordered retreat would also damage troop morale, creating further risks for Ukraine’s defense effort.
According to Zelensky, the quickest path toward ending the war would be a ceasefire based on the current front line. His remarks come as Ukraine continues to resist Russia’s invasion with Western support more than four years after the war began.
The United States has for months been pushing both sides toward a negotiated settlement. However, diplomatic momentum has slowed since February, with broader regional instability, including the war involving Iran, complicating international efforts.
Before this latest criticism, Witkoff and Kushner had traveled to Moscow several times for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A visit to Kyiv, which had been expected after Orthodox Easter on April 12, would have marked their first trip to the Ukrainian capital, but it has yet to take place.
