President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he considered visits by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow but not Kyiv disrespectful.
The pair visited the Russian capital late last year as ceasefire talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine gained pace, and again in January.
Witkoff, who has been to Moscow eight times, met Vladimir Putin on many occasions. Neither he nor Kushner, however, has ever visited Kyiv in an official capacity.
It's disrespectful [for them] to come to Moscow and not Kyiv, it's just disrespectful, Zelensky said in an interview.
Zelensky added that if they were unwilling to come to Ukraine, alternative meeting locations could be arranged.
Witkoff, a former real estate magnate, is Donald Trump's special envoy and Kushner is the US president's son-in-law.
Earlier in April, Zelensky mentioned that the two were planning on visiting Ukraine, but their trip never materialized amid the US-Israel tensions with Iran.
The last trilateral summit between Russia, the US, and Ukraine was in mid-February, after which the focus shifted towards conflict in the Middle East.
Witkoff and Kushner are part of the US negotiating team traveling to Pakistan for ceasefire talks with Iran, leaving Zelensky to acknowledge that American attention is currently directed towards the Middle East.
Despite these challenges, Zelensky emphasized the importance of cooperating with the US. Ceasefire discussions had gained momentum in autumn 2025, amidst plans by Russian and US officials to potentially end the ongoing war, though significant issues remained unresolved.
The war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, has seen Ukrainian territory under Russian control and constant battles along the front lines.
In recent attacks, Russian forces have targeted Ukrainian cities with drones and missiles, while Ukraine has escalated its assaults on Russian infrastructure.
