Ukraine's Yermak Meets US Envoy Witkoff Amid Russia Strikes, France Germany Pledge Air Defenses

Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, held multiple meetings with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in New York and Washington, focusing on advancing diplomatic efforts following the recent Washington summit. Yermak emphasized Ukraine's openness to direct negotiations at the leaders' level and stressed the need for global pressure on Russia to genuinely pursue peace, noting that Russia has so far shown no political will to end the war while continuing missile attacks that killed civilians in Kyiv. The US confirmed its readiness to provide security guarantees to Ukraine similar to NATO's Article 5. Meanwhile, France and Germany pledged to supply Ukraine with additional air defense systems and enhance security cooperation. However, reports criticize Witkoff's handling of the peace process, describing him as inexperienced, poorly informed, and inconsistent in engagement, which has contributed to stalled progress in negotiations. Despite these challenges, Ukraine continues to coordinate closely with the US and European partners to push for an end to the conflict.