US President Donald Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv as part of efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The meeting took place on Sunday, one day after Witkoff and Kushner met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Their visit to Kyiv is seen as an important step because the US team is speaking directly with both sides of the conflict. Witkoff said the US team was “encouraged” by the talks with Zelensky. He described the discussion as important and substantive, meaning that the two sides discussed serious issues related to ending the war. Kushner said Trump had instructed the US team to find a way to end the conflict and create the conditions for a long-lasting peace. He also thanked the United Kingdom, Germany and France for their efforts to support peace negotiations. Zelensky said Ukraine was ready for serious discussions about bringing the war to an end. However, he stressed that Ukraine would need strong security guarantees. He also said that any peace agreement must provide Ukraine with a dignified post-war future. The talks in Kyiv followed a three-hour meeting between the US envoys and Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Saturday. Russian officials described that meeting as constructive and very open. However, no major details about a possible peace agreement were announced. Putin’s adviser Yuri Ushakov said the discussions covered more than just the war in Ukraine. He said the sides also discussed economic issues and possible future projects between Russia and the United States. The US envoys travelled to Kyiv by train after arriving in Poland. Zelensky said their plane could not land in Ukraine despite preparations for their arrival. The diplomatic meetings are taking place while fighting continues. Russia and Ukraine have continued launching drone and missile attacks against each other. Ukraine said it attacked a Russian oil refinery, an airfield and two air-defence systems. Ukrainian officials said the Ryazan oil refinery was targeted because it supplies fuel to the Russian military. Russia also launched attacks against Ukraine. Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia used 108 long-range drones and small cruise missiles. Ukrainian air defences reportedly destroyed 82 drones and six missiles, although several locations were still hit. Despite the diplomatic efforts, reaching a peace agreement will be difficult. Important disagreements remain over security guarantees, territory and the future relationship between Russia and Ukraine. Russia currently controls around one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine wants a peace deal that protects its security and independence, while Russia has demanded that the causes of the conflict be addressed. The latest meetings show that the United States is continuing to speak with both Moscow and Kyiv in an effort to find a possible path toward peace. However, it remains unclear how quickly the talks can lead to an agreement or whether Russia and Ukraine can accept the same terms.