U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff held talks Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to end the war with Russia, a day after they met with Russia's Vladimir Putin.
The Americans arrived in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv by train, hoping to revive negotiations to end Europe's worst conflict since World War II following a summer of escalation.
Zelenskyy published a video of his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Kushner and business partner Witkoff in central Kyiv, saying: "Talks have begun."
Witkoff and Kushner had visited Moscow eight times but had not held talks in Kyiv until now, despite the city enduring deadly strikes since Russia's February 2022 invasion.
Ukraine's top security officials and negotiators were also present and several European national security advisors.
Zelenskyy showed the U.S. envoys Kyiv's historic Saint Sophia's Cathedral, which stands opposite the SBU security building that a Russian drone hit Friday.
Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions.
Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin on Saturday to "advance President Trump's agenda of peace in the war in Ukraine," a White House official said.
"The two sides discussed substantive plans for next steps, which will be announced in the coming weeks, and look forward to equally productive meetings tomorrow in Ukraine."
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov called the talks "extremely frank," saying the Americans "put forward a number of ideas on possible routes to a settlement," but did not elaborate.
The Russian side told the Americans that Moscow was "confident" it could achieve its military goals of seizing the rest of eastern Ukraine, Ushakov added.
Both Russia and Ukraine had vowed not to strike each other's capitals for three days during the Americans' visit.
Zelenskyy Sunday said Ukraine was "ready for the conversation."
"Ukraine has always been and will remain constructive," the wartime leader said on social media ahead of their visit.
The country's airspace has been closed since Moscow launched the war, and visiting leaders have been arriving by train.
In televised comments before the talks, Putin said Russia would ensure the safety of the envoys in Kyiv.
"We will do everything that depends on us to ensure the safety of the negotiation process and mediators such as yourselves," Putin told Witkoff and Kushner.
Earlier Saturday, Putin had thanked Trump for persisting in his efforts to end the war despite the task being "not simple."
Of the envoys' trip to Kyiv, he said: "No matter what happens next, contacts of this kind are undoubtedly always beneficial."
Trump said Friday that his envoys were bringing a "proposal" to end the fighting.
"We have an idea for peace," he said, without elaborating.
U.S. efforts have so far not led to a breakthrough in the war and peace efforts have stalled.
Russia has occupied large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, and Putin has insisted Moscow is intent on seizing the rest of eastern Ukraine.
Despite the cease-fire pledges for the capital cities, fighting continued elsewhere.
Ukraine's air force said Russia attacked overnight with 108 drones and missiles, while Moscow said it shot down 258 drones.
On Saturday, Putin said he "noted that the Ukrainian side significantly reduced" its strikes on Russia and Moscow.
However, Kyiv said Russian strikes killed 10 people across the country Saturday, including a child and family members in the Kharkiv region and two people outside Kyiv.
