Zelenskyy Briefed By Trump Envoys As Russia Makes Surprise G20 Return

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has been briefed by US President Donald Trump's special envoys following their latest discussions in Moscow, as diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine intensify.

Zelenskyy said envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were preparing for a new trip to Kyiv in the coming weeks. The visit would mark their first journey to Ukraine since taking prominent roles in the Trump administration's efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict.

After speaking with the two envoys, Zelenskyy described their conversation as "detailed and constructive" and said the discussions focused on the prospects for peace.

"We will see what the US president's envoys can accomplish," Zelenskyy said, adding that September could prove a crucial month for diplomatic efforts.

He also urged Moscow to demonstrate a genuine willingness to end the war, arguing that intelligence assessments from both Ukraine and its international partners indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains committed to continuing the fighting.

"There needs to be the right mindset in Moscow - from Putin, a mindset to end the war, not to keep fighting," Zelenskyy said.

Witkoff and Kushner have held several meetings with Russian officials in Moscow and with Russian representatives in the United States during Trump's second term. Their contacts have attracted criticism from some quarters, with concerns that Washington's approach has placed greater emphasis on engaging the Kremlin than on consultations with Kyiv.

The diplomatic developments came as Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov made an unexpected appearance at a G20 finance meeting in Asheville, North Carolina.

Siluanov's attendance was particularly notable because Russia has largely been excluded from high-level G20 gatherings since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

European Ministers Object

The Russian minister's presence drew criticism from some European officials.

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said Russia's participation could not be treated as a return to normal international relations while the war continued.

"People are dying every day," Klingbeil said, pointing to continuing Russian attacks in Ukraine. He said it was troubling that the Russian finance minister had been received without greater clarity from Washington about the circumstances surrounding his attendance.

European finance ministers and central bankers also reportedly objected to Siluanov appearing in the customary G20 group photograph.

The disagreement resulted in the group photograph being taken without the Russian minister.

Russia's participation represented a significant change from earlier G20 meetings. In 2022, when Siluanov joined a finance ministers' meeting remotely, US and other Western officials walked out as Russian representatives spoke.

The Trump administration, however, has signalled a willingness to engage directly with Moscow as part of its broader efforts to end the Ukraine war.

White House spokesman Kush Desai said the administration would continue talking to parties it believes are necessary to secure a peace agreement.

The administration has also repeatedly discussed the possibility of restoring Russia's role in major international groupings, including the G7, despite strong opposition from several member states.

The G20 brings together 19 countries and the European Union and represents roughly 85 percent of global economic output and around two-thirds of the world's population.

US-Russia Financial Talks

Siluanov also held talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during the meeting, according to Russia's Finance Ministry.

The two officials discussed bilateral financial cooperation and Russia's interaction with the G20, Moscow said.

A US official said Bessent used the meeting to advocate for Trump's proposed peace plan for Ukraine.

The encounter underscored the increasingly complex diplomatic landscape surrounding the war, with Washington simultaneously seeking closer engagement with Moscow while attempting to reassure Ukraine that any eventual settlement must address its security and territorial concerns.

With Trump's envoys preparing for another round of talks in Kyiv, Zelenskyy is now looking to September as a potentially decisive period for negotiations, while Russia's renewed visibility within the G20 highlights the broader international diplomatic shifts accompanying the US administration's push for an end to the conflict.