President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine was ready to receive Trumpʼs special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner by plane, but the US chose the train.
He announced this during a conversation with journalists.
According to him, both “Boryspil” and “Zhuliany” could have been used for this. Despite Russian strikes on the runways of both airports, they are technically ready to receive delegations.
They also considered the option of Americans flying to Belarus, from where it would take more than three hours to travel from Gomel to Kyiv. SBU worked out this format and was ready to meet Trumpʼs envoys. However, the American side decided to arrive by train.
"We agreed that they would come again. I think next time we can try by plane. I suggested to them: if they donʼt want to fly on an American plane, they can leave it in Poland or another country, and my plane can deliver them," Zelensky said.
American representatives arrived in Kyiv on the morning of September 6 by train. They held talks with representatives of the Ukrainian negotiating team, which included the head of the Presidentʼs Office Kyrylo Budanov, Rustem Umerov, the leader of the “Servant of the People” faction Davyd Arakhamia, and the deputy head of the “Servant of the People” party Serhiy Kyslytsia, as well as the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
The day before, on September 5, Witkoff and Kushner were in Moscow. They met with Putin in the Kremlin. Russian media reported that the meeting lasted more than three hours.
- Ukraine invited Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Kyiv back in April. Since then, they have traveled to Moscow several times. Volodymyr Zelensky called it a sign of disrespect.
- At the end of July, Radio Liberty journalist Alex Raufoglou reported that Trump representatives were to arrive in Ukraine on Independence Day, August 24. However, the trip was postponed again due to increased Russian attacks on Kyiv.
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