U.S. President’s special envoy Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Kushner, carrying the so‑called “peace plan,” have successively visited Russia and Ukraine to mediate the Russia–Ukraine conflict. On the eve of the visit, both Russia and Ukraine announced a three-day suspension of attacks on each other's capital. However, after the expiration of the temporary ceasefire, the Russian-Ukrainian fighting reignited.

On the 8th, the Russian and U.S. presidents held a one-hour phone call, during which both sides expressed a positive assessment of the outcomes of the U.S. special envoy’s shuttle diplomacy. However, according to the information revealed by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in an interview released earlier in the day, there has been no progress on the two core sticking points that have been preventing Russia and Ukraine from completely ending the conflict.

Data map: On August 20, in the Solomensky District of Kiev, Ukraine, a vehicle was damaged in an air raid. 

U.S. President's Special Envoy Carries "Peace Plan" to Shuttle Russia and Ukraine for Two Days Only Suspend Attacks on Each Other's Capital for Three Days

According to a CCTV news report, according to US President Trump's statement on September 4, his special mission Witkov and son-in-law Kushner will bring a plan to "end the war" when they visit Russia and Ukraine. On September 5, Witkov and Kushner led the US delegation to officially open the trip. On the eve of the visit of the US delegation, Russia and Ukraine respectively made commitments on the 5th to stop attacking each other's capital from the 5th to the 7th.

However, after 7 days, the fighting reignited. Starting in the early morning of the 8th local time, explosions were heard many times in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Air Force issued a number of early warning messages saying that a number of ballistic missiles from the Russian army were flying towards the city of Kiev.

Russia Says Attack on Ukrainian Infrastructure

According to a notice issued by the Russian Ministry of Defense on the 8th, from the night of the 7th to the early morning of the 8th, the Russian army used high-precision weapons and long-range attack drones to launch large-scale attacks on Ukraine. The targets include UAVs in the Ukrainian defense industrial complex, cruise missile production and storage facilities, and military material transportation and distribution centers in Kiev and Kiev states. In addition, the Russian military struck a tanker carrying fuel and lubricants for the Ukrainian armed forces.

The general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces released information on the war situation as of 8:00 on the 8th on the same day, showing that 244 battles occurred in the front line in the past day. The Ukrainian army carried out strikes on Russian troop buildup areas, drone control points and artillery positions.

"Substantial Progress" in Self-assessment of US Special Foreign Minister's Statement

As for the results of the US delegation's visit, the US President's Special Envoy Witkov commented on social media on the 7th after concluding his visit that the US delegation had made "substantial progress" in its recent visit to Russia and Ukraine, including progress in arranging follow-up tripartite talks.

U.S. President's Special Envoy Witkov posted on social media on the 7th, saying that the visit has made substantial progress.

Russia positively evaluates the visit of the US delegation, stresses that it will continue to communicate with the United States.

Regarding the mediation of the US representative, Russian Presidential Assistant Ushakov stated on the 5th that Russia and the United States exchanged views on a series of major issues, "the content is substantial, constructive, extremely frank and mutual trust".

Subsequently, the Russian and American presidents also had an hour-long phone call on the 8th, focusing on the settlement of the Ukrainian issue. According to Ushakov's introduction to the first Russian US dollar call, the two sides made positive comments on the results of the US delegation's visit to Russia and said that they would continue to maintain communication through such channels.

Ushakov said that Putin pointed out in the call what measures the United States can take to promote the early end of the special military operation, while Trump expressed his intention to promote a breakthrough in the settlement of the Ukrainian issue during his term of office.

As for the specific results of the U.S. delegation's visit, Ushakov only mentioned that the Russian and U.S. presidents agreed to continue to work to resolve humanitarian issues, including the exchange of detained and sentenced personnel, and the Russian and U.S. presidents agreed to maintain contact. And call in time when needed.

Ukraine said it discussed aid and security with representatives of the United States and Europe.

Ukrainian President Zelensky told the media after the meeting with US representatives on the 6th that Ukraine and representatives of the United States and European countries discussed issues related to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, such as wintering assistance and security guarantees for Ukraine, and the talks were "very substantive".

Based on the above content, although the evaluation given by Russia and Ukraine also has the words "substantive" or "constructive", it does not make it clear that the parties have achieved any substantive results in promoting the settlement of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The degree of "exchange of views on important issues" and "the two sides decide to maintain contact. As to when and how to advance the ceasefire, the United States, Russia and Ukraine did not give any explanation.

Russian Foreign Minister's Interview Revealed Russia-Ukraine Key Sticking Point Still Unresolved

On September 8, the day when Russia resumed its missile attacks on Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, an interview clip of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was released to the public. The information released revealed that the US Special Mission's visit has made little progress in promoting the peace issue between Russia and Ukraine. According to the information revealed by Lavrov in the interview, Russia has not changed its position on at least two important issues related to whether Russia and Ukraine can end the conflict.

The picture shows Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.

Lavrov said in an interview clip released on the same day that when the US representative visited Russia on September 5, the discussion was based on US President Trump's position on the Ukrainian issue after returning to the White House, including Ukraine's non-joining NATO and recognizing the reality of the battlefield.

These two points correspond to Ukraine's security arrangements and territorial disposal, and are also the two key sticking points that have long hindered Russia and Ukraine from reaching a ceasefire and ending the conflict. For Ukraine, joining NATO is the core goal of Ukraine to obtain reliable security guarantees; on the territorial issue, Ukraine has repeatedly emphasized that the territorial issue cannot be a negotiation topic. Ukrainian President Zelensky and Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) Chairman Stefanchuk regarded the territorial issue as a red line.

The two core differences between Russia and Ukraine have not been resolved.

Chen Yu, deputy director of the Eurasian Institute of the China Institute of Modern International Relations, also concluded that the shuttle diplomacy of the US delegation has not achieved any substantive results. The territorial issues and security issues between Russia and Ukraine have not been resolved. None of the two key issues that really hinder peace between Russia and Ukraine have been resolved.

In Chen Yu's view, at least before the arrival of winter, it is difficult for Russia and Ukraine to make breakthrough progress. That's why, during his visit to Ukraine, the U.S. envoy discussed with the European side and Ukraine how to help Ukraine survive the winter. But Chen Yu also said that the U.S. mediation also has value and significance in three aspects:

The United States and Russia have used this mediation to restore the channel of direct communication, which is of great significance for controlling the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and avoiding direct confrontation between Russia and the West.

The good offices proved the feasibility of a local ceasefire in the short term. This may accumulate relevant experience for a longer ceasefire in the future.

Through this round of mediation, the parties have conducted a new round of mapping. Especially after the suspension of the Russian-Ukrainian peace process for more than 220 days, the situation has undergone great changes, and the investigation under this new situation is also of significance.

Based on this, Chen Yu concluded that this round of mediation is an "ice-breaking" contact, which belongs to mutual exploration, rather than peace talks with substantive breakthroughs. Next, there is a high probability that Russia and Ukraine will still maintain the state of "fighting and talking", and the real turning point of peace may not come for a long time.