Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday he had held "very good" talks with US President Donald Trump’s envoys on ending the war, as Russia also assured negotiations with Washington were making progress.
 

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday he had had "very good" talks with US President Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, focused on ending the "brutal Russian war".

"We discussed certain substantive details of the ongoing work," he said in a post on social media.

"There are good ideas that can work toward a shared outcome and the lasting peace," he added.

Zelensky thanked the two envoys for their "constructive approach, the intensive work, and the kind words".

"We are truly working 24/7 to bring closer the end of this brutal Russian war against Ukraine and to ensure that all documents and steps are realistic, effective, and reliable," he added.

They had also agreed during the conversation that Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov would speak with the two envoys again Thursday.

Zelensky's post came a day after having said that Ukraine had won some limited concessions in the latest version of a US-led draft plan to end the Russian invasion.

Read moreZelensky unveils new US-backed, 20-point plan to end the war in Ukraine

The 20-point plan, agreed on by US and Ukrainian negotiators, is being reviewed by Moscow. But the Kremlin has previously not shown a willingness to abandon its territorial demands for full Ukrainian withdrawal from the east.

Zelensky conceded on Wednesday that there were some points in the document that he did not like.

But he said Kyiv had succeeded in removing immediate requirements for Ukraine to withdraw from the Donetsk region or that land seized by Moscow's army would be recognised as Russian.

Russia, meanwhile, said talks with the United States were making gradual headway. 

"In ​the negotiation process on a settlement of the Ukraine conflict, I mean in the negotiation ‍process with the United States, ​there is slow but steady progress," she said.

Zakharova ‌added that Western European ‍powers were trying to torpedo the progress and suggested that the United States counter such ‍moves.