Russian strikes on Kyiv resume as soon as Witkoff, Kushner peace talks end

At least two people were killed by Russian airstrikes on Kyiv Tuesday morning, city authorities said, as Moscow resumed strikes on Ukraine following a visit by President Trump’s envoys to both countries.

Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had ordered a pause in fighting while Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and special envoy Steve Witkoff held separate talks with both leaders.

On Tuesday morning, that pause ended with the resumption of airstrikes, Russia’s state news agency TASS said. A wave of strong explosions was heard across Kyiv, with the city’s administration saying at least two people were killed and seven wounded.

The strikes damaged buildings across the capital, including a five-story apartment block in the Solomianskyi district, while vehicles caught fire in the Podilskyi district, authorities said. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said people were trapped in a residential building.

The air force of Ukraine’s neighbor, Poland, said Tuesday it was conducting “preventive operations” related to Russia’s missile attacks, forcing the suspension of flights from Lublin Airport.

After Sunday’s talks in Kyiv, Witkoff and Kushner said they had held “meaningful discussions” and were encouraged. The visit was part of a trip that began in Moscow in the latest push to end Russia’s full-scale invasion more than 4-1/2 years since it began.

“We’ve had very meaningful discussion, substantive, important, and we’re very encouraged,” Witkoff said, though he acknowledged that Russia and Ukraine will need to make “compromises” to end the war.

A senior Ukrainian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity since he was not authorized to speak publicly, told The Associated Press that much of the discussion was focused on “how to get through the winter and what can be done before then.”

Prior to Witkoff and Kushner’s departure for Moscow, Mr. Trump told reporters they were traveling to Ukraine and Russia with a proposal to end the conflict. Mr. Trump said they had “an idea for peace” and that “there may be a good chance that we’ll do it.”

After the meeting, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said in a statement that “our American colleagues made serious preparations for this trip,” and they had “also formulated a number of ideas regarding possible paths to a settlement,” but he did not elaborate on what those might be.