Dec 25, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Zelensky says he had "very good" Christmas Day call with U.S. envoys

Rebecca Falconer

A fair-skinned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has short, dark hair and is wearing a black fleece top and black pants, looks intently with his dark brown eyes into the camera in front of lit white candles (R) and a Christmas tree that's decorated with yellow lights and a few red baubles. — Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv this week. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a "very good" Christmas Day call with Trump advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, per a post to X Thursday that Kushner reposted.

The big picture: Zelensky, President Trump's son-in-law Kushner and Witkoff discussed "new ideas in terms of formats, meetings, and, of course, timing on how to bring a real peace closer," the Ukrainian leader said in a video address to his nation later Thursday that was posted to his social media channels.

Also on the call to discuss Trump's 20-point peace plan was Ukraine's top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, whom Zelensky said "will continue discussions with the American team."
Ukraine has so far rejected aspects of the plan that would include major territorial losses and other concessions.

Zoom in: Zelensky in his X post thanked Witkoff and Kushner for their "constructive approach" and said they "discussed certain substantive details" on the peace talks.

Ukrainian officials believe that Umerov's continued discussions with the U.S. envoys is "the right approach — not to lose a single day or a single opportunity that can bring the result closer," Zelensky added.

The other side: Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters Thursday Russian officials were "seeing slow but steady progress" in peace talks with the U.S.

Go deeper: Ukraine and U.S. divided over territory after intense negotiations

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Zelensky says he had "very good" Christmas Day call with U.S. envoys

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