Kyiv Extends Invitation to US Special Envoy Witkoff to Visit Ukraine

Ukraine has invited US special envoy Steve Witkoff to visit Kyiv, Ukraine officials said on October 27, following months of his shuttle diplomacy that has included multiple visits to Moscow.

Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha confirmed the invitation at a joint press conference with his Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna, noting: “The Ukrainian side invited American high officials to visit Ukraine. Mr. Witkoff also received such an invitation. We are always glad to welcome our American friends in Ukraine.

The outreach follows an August 29 meeting in New York between Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, and Witkoff, during which Yermak publicly extended an invitation for an early trip to Kyiv.”

“We are open to direct negotiations at the leaders’ level and ready to discuss the widest range of issues… I invited Mr. Witkoff to visit Ukraine in the near future,” Yermak wrote after the talks, adding that the discussion focused on coordinating diplomacy and implementing agreements reached at the Washington summit.

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Witkoff’s role has drawn heightened attention as he has engaged directly with Russian officials this year, including a three-hour Kremlin meeting with Vladimir Putin described as “constructive” by Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov, and reported as at least the fourth such discussion in 2025 by major outlets tracking his Moscow visits.

Ukrainian media and officials have also noted his subsequent contacts with European and Ukrainian interlocutors, including meetings and calls in late summer aimed at discussing prospective security guarantees for Ukraine, which Witkoff characterized in a CNN appearance as “robust” and “game-changing”.

Kyiv’s diplomatic messaging has emphasized both openness to US-facilitated talks and the need for sustained pressure on Moscow.

Yermak said after the New York meeting, reiterating Ukraine’s support for efforts “to achieve a lasting peace as soon as possible,” while stressing that previous US proposals were being slowed.

Earlier, it was reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the importance of Europe’s solidarity after holding talks with Steve Witkoff, highlighting Ukraine’s push for direct negotiations and broader diplomatic support.

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