CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ON THE STREETS OF KYIV
Witkoff and Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, have visited Moscow several times in their roles as peace envoys. But Sunday will be their first visit to Kyiv in their capacity as US negotiators.
Their visit has long been sought by Ukraine’s leadership, and on the streets of Kyiv, which has been bombarded heavily in recent weeks, some residents were hopeful.
“The issue can be solved in the blink of an eye. We want peace. I’ve fought myself, so I know what war is like. We need peace, because there’s no other way,” said military veteran Stepan Yermak.
In previous talks, the sides have remained far apart on a range of key issues, including the future of the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas. Russia has demanded Ukraine’s withdrawal from an entrenched belt of towns that it still controls there, but Kyiv has refused, reasoning that it can still hold on there for years.
For Ukraine, hard security guarantees from its European allies and the US are crucial to deterring Russia from invading again.
“We need an agreement that will never be broken,” said Svitlana Kurylenko, a 19-year-old cafe worker.
“Just leave Ukraine alone and let people live in peace.”
