Kushner has ‘no diplomatic experience’ and wants Ukrainians to ‘surrender’ their homes

Territorial control remains the central obstacle to a negotiated end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, US presidential special envoy Jared Kushner said on Sunday, underscoring the gap between Washington’s push for a settlement and Kyiv’s refusal to surrender territory.

Speaking at the Yalta European Strategy forum in Kyiv, Kushner said mediators had developed frameworks covering most elements of a potential agreement but had been unable to bridge the divide over front lines and sovereign borders.

“The main issue will be territories, and that is precisely where the sides have not yet reached an agreement,” Kushner said.

“President Putin laid out his position regarding what he wants to achieve. If Ukraine wanted to retreat to that line, we would have already prepared and agreed on the remaining terms of the deal. Currently, Ukraine does not want to do this.

“And our task as mediators is to figure out how we can find a creative solution that does not contradict their desires, helps them achieve their goals, and compels Russia to end the conflict so both sides can move forward within a framework that prevents a recurrence.”

An unelected American 🇺🇸 with no diplomatic experience is telling me to surrender my home, and telling Ukraine 🇺🇦 to surrender even more land, to an imperialist, fascist dictator committing acts of terrorism every day.

I never thought I’d see the day, but here we are, Jared… pic.twitter.com/sW6JrbuF9K

— Shaun Pinner (@ShaunPinnerUA) September 13, 2026

Kushner did not directly address Russian war crimes or the question of accountability for Moscow’s invasion. Instead, he portrayed both countries as having suffered “a lot of pain” and argued that their leaderships shared an interest in ending the fighting.

“[US] President [Donald] [Trump] is very, very committed to this cause. Steve [Witkoff] and I are very committed. President [Zelensky] is very committed. From what we have seen and heard, President Putin is also very committed to this cause,” Kushner said.

“It is simply a matter of finding the right formula that will hopefully satisfy everyone to move forward.”

The comments highlight the fundamental difficulty facing the US diplomatic effort. Kyiv has repeatedly rejected territorial concessions, while Moscow has continued to demand outcomes that would require Ukraine to surrender control of parts of its territory.

Kushner said negotiations had increasingly focused on security guarantees intended to prevent any ceasefire becoming merely a pause that would allow Russia to regroup.

He identified sovereignty, security and economic prosperity as the three non-negotiable pillars of a just settlement for Ukraine.

The envoy also disclosed that previous trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi involving Ukraine, Russia and the US had produced practical arrangements for monitoring a future ceasefire.

“We have developed a monitoring mechanism that involves the military, and everyone agrees that once there is a definitive resolution regarding frontlines or territorial issues, a mechanism will exist that everyone can hopefully abide by,” Kushner said.

“I think this is something that satisfies both sides, representing genuine progress in that regard.”

Kushner argued that economic incentives would ultimately be critical to preventing another war, with both countries encouraged to attract investment and rebuild their economies.

“When you end a war, people must have something to look forward to,” he said.

“Both countries need to consider how they can seize this opportunity after the war to attract investments, create employment, provide greater prosperity, and increase incomes. That is what motivates societies to invest in and feel enthusiastic about peace. In many ways, it becomes your greatest security guarantee. If everyone lives well and maintains a personal stake in security, it will hopefully produce something durable and sustainable.”

His remarks followed recent consultations in Kyiv involving Witkoff and European national security advisers, after a three-hour meeting with Putin in Moscow.

Moscow has continued to insist on achieving its stated war aims, with Kremlin figures reportedly rejecting a frontline ceasefire before Russian forces secure the entirety of the Donbas. Ukraine, meanwhile, maintains that territorial concessions would amount to capitulation and that any settlement must protect its sovereignty and include binding Western security guarantees.