Zelensky warns war to rage on into winter after crunch talks with US envoys – but peace negotiations ‘very substantial’

VOLODYMYR Zelensky has warned the war in Ukraine will drag on through winter, despite crunch peace talks with Donald Trump’s envoys today. Top Washington negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Kyiv after “frank” discussions with Vladimir Putin in Moscow yesterday. Zelensky and Witkoff pictured in Kyiv on Sunday Credit: EPA Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and Volodymyr Zelensky (L-R) held discussions today on ending the war Credit: EPA The Ukrainian leader said after the meeting he expected further talks between Washington, Moscow and European leaders to take place soon. Witkoff said he was “encouraged” by the “substantive” discussions in Kyiv, adding: “We’re confident there’ll be a good resolution here.” Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Today’s talks took place behind closed doors and lasted several hours. Zelensky emphasised he wanted a just and fair peace with zero chance of Russia using aggression again in the future. Russia has continued to launch strikes around Kyiv despite the short ceasefire Credit: AFP The trio said the talks were constructive Credit: AP He also said the prospect of the war continuing through winter was “what it looks like for now”. The Ukrainian leader said he would need more air defence and energy support to get through what is expected to be a perilous period. Each of the last four winters have been incredibly arduous for Ukraine – with Russia usually upping the ante each time by increasing strikes on key infrastructure, leaving millions without heat or water. Trump’s son-in-law Kushner said his team “went through a lot of the ideas that hadn’t worked to date” during the talks in Moscow the previous day. Most read in The Sun They “tried to think about” what elements are needed for “durable peace”, he added. Kushner said: “It was a very good dialogue, he [Putin] asked a lot of questions, we asked a lot of questions.” Witkoff and Kushner both praised the talks in Moscow, saying they were “frank” and “constructive”. The pair’s visit to Kyiv is first since the barbaric invasion was launched in February 2022. They travelled to Ukraine by train after flying to Poland – a route made necessary because of Putin’s war, Zelensky highlighted. He said: “Unfortunately, through their strikes, the Russians demonstrated that [the visitors] could not land and use an aircraft, although our airports remain operational.” Russia and Ukraine agreed to a fragile three-day truce in which both sides promised not to attack each other’s capitals due to the envoy’s crunch trips. Moscow officials have now even hinted a meeting between Trump, Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping may be on the cards. Trump previously claimed that Witkoff and Kushner – who is also his son-in-law – were bringing with them “a proposal to end the war”. Putin’s top aide has also warned the West is on the brink of a “real war” with Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Germany had effectively tried to start a war after they blamed Moscow for an explosive drone plot on Leipzig Airport last month. Germany accused Russia of dropping an explosive-laden drone onto Leipzig airport – where it landed suspiciously close to a fleet of Ukrainian jets. But Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the accusation was blatantly false – and accused Germany of warmongering. He said: “They decided that yet another incident could be pinned on us. “Leipzig, the airport — they found some kind of drone there, said it was a Russian drone, and nobody bothered to investigate.” Ominously, he added: “This is, in effect, the beginning of a real war.” The 76-year-old hawk – who has been in office for more than 22 years – accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz of repeating Hitler’s playbook. Seemingly oblivious to the fact that he works for a dictator, Lavrov told Kremlin press: “They want war again.” “All those statements Merz made about making Germany Europe’s leading military power again are now being put into practice,” he said. “He is, essentially, moving towards declaring war on us, and the lessons of history have not been understood at all. “This is a dangerous phenomenon. “I think the Russian leadership will draw the appropriate conclusions.” Comment now