Zelensky Challenges US Envoy Witkoff Over Peace Deal Comments

In a heated press conference, President Zelensky criticized US envoy Steve Witkoff for comments suggesting that a peace agreement with Russia may depend on contested Ukrainian territories.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has slammed US special envoy Steve Witkoff, claiming he is propagating "Russian narratives" after Witkoff suggested in a Fox News interview that the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine were tied to the status of five disputed regions. During a news briefing in Kyiv, Zelensky expressed deep concern over Witkoff’s portrayal of the territories, which include Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, all currently occupied by Russian forces. The fifth territory in question is Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014—an act that remains unrecognized by the global community.

Zelensky stated, "The territories are ours. They belong to our people… I don’t understand what he’s discussing." This critical feedback came after Witkoff's five-hour discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where he hinted that the peace deal revolved around those regions, suggesting broader geopolitical implications and commercial opportunities that could stabilize relations between Russia and the US.

Zelensky's disapproval is not new; in March, he remarked on Witkoff’s background, emphasizing his lack of military experience and characterizing him as better suited for real estate than diplomatic matters. This latest exchange follows a meeting in Paris among senior US, Ukrainian, and European diplomats, which included Witkoff and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

On another front, former President Donald Trump weighed in Thursday with mixed sentiments about Zelensky and the ongoing conflict. While Trump absolved Zelensky of blame for the war's onset, he expressed dissatisfaction with his leadership. Concurrently, Zelensky disclosed that he had evidence of Chinese arms being supplied to Russia, indicating a shift in China’s perceived neutrality towards the conflict, despite past denials. Taiwan's previous assertions about Chinese nationals fighting for Russia have also drawn Beijing's attention, emphasizing the complex international dynamics surrounding the Ukraine crisis.