US exploring winter de-escalation steps between Ukraine and Russia, Zelenskyy says
The United States is exploring possible steps to reduce the intensity of fighting between Ukraine and Russia during the coming winter while seeking to restart broader peace negotiations, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Axios.
Zelenskyy said U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner brought new proposals during their visits to Moscow and Kyiv aimed at "unblocking" the diplomatic process.
Some discussions focused on potential de-escalation measures involving energy infrastructure, grain shipments, and oil and gas exports, he said, without providing further details.
Zelenskyy later said Ukraine was prepared to make compromises on energy issues, although he did not specify what such compromises could involve.
He said energy, grain shipments and prisoner exchanges could be discussed at a future trilateral meeting, with Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates among possible venues. No date or location for the talks has been agreed.
The envoys told Zelenskyy after meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin that "the Russians are ready to negotiate." Zelenskyy said he remained skeptical, pointing to Russia's actions on the battlefield and its escalating attacks on Ukraine.
According to Zelenskyy, the U.S. approach currently has two objectives: restarting negotiations and finding measures that could prevent the coming winter from seeing the same level of escalation as previous years.
U.S. officials told Axios, however, that it remains unclear whether arrangements acceptable to both Ukraine and Russia can be reached. Previous attempts to establish ceasefires or halt attacks on energy infrastructure have repeatedly failed.
Separately, Zelenskyy said the United States supports a "winter package" for Ukraine that would include air defense and energy assistance, as well as liquefied natural gas.
"Russia really thinks that this winter can help them to break us," Zelenskyy said, arguing that Moscow hopes attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure will force Kyiv into further concessions.
Witkoff and Kushner met Putin in Moscow on Sept. 5 before traveling to Kyiv for talks with Zelenskyy the following day. The U.S. envoys are expected to brief President Donald Trump and continue consultations with Ukrainian and European officials.