For the first time since Donald Trump returned to the White House, his envoys have sat across the table from both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the same weekend, carrying what the US president calls a "proposal" to end the conflict.

Whether it amounts to a genuine breakthrough or another round of inconclusive diplomacy remains to be seen.

What happened in the last 72 hours

Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow on Saturday, and met Putin in the Kremlin. 

They then traveled by train to Kyiv, arriving at a platform marked with the words "Peace Express," to hold talks with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on Sunday. 

It was the first time either envoy had visited the Ukrainian capital since Trump returned to office with a pledge to end the conflict quickly.

British, French and German representatives also joined the talks in Kyiv, with Zelenskyy welcoming the European presence. 

"We are grateful that the Europeans are with us and that we are in such a coalition of countries," he said. "Here we are all on the same side."

Ukrainian airspace has been closed since the conflict began in 2022, meaning almost all visiting officials travel to Kyiv by train. 

Zelenskyy said Ukraine had "prepared everything to make our airports operational," but that Russian strikes had made "arriving by plane impossible".

What the key players are saying

Witkoff described the Kyiv talks as "very meaningful, substantive, important." 

"We are very encouraged and we look forward to continuing this as long as it takes," he added.

Witkoff said that he felt good about peace talks in both Moscow and Kyiv.

Kushner said the trip had produced "new ways to advance forward. I think we've learned a lot."

He also expressed hope for trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the US. 

The two envoys traveled to the region hoping to revive the Trump administration's push for peace in Europe's worst conflict since World War II.

Trump said his envoys were carrying a "proposal" to end the fighting, but offered no detail. 

"We have an idea for peace," he said.

A White House official said that during the Moscow leg, the envoys had "discussed substantive plans which will be announced in the coming weeks." 

The Kremlin confirmed the Americans had "put forward a number of ideas on possible routes to a settlement," but did not elaborate.

Putin told the US envoys that Moscow would ensure their safety in Kyiv. Just days ago, Russia struck the headquarters of the SBU security building in central Kyiv.

Of the envoys' trip to Kyiv, the Russian leader said: "No matter what happens next, contacts of this kind are undoubtedly always beneficial."

What is holding peace back?

Despite the mutual pledge not to strike each other's capitals during the envoys' visit, hostilities continued elsewhere. 

Ukraine's air force reported Russia attacked overnight with 108 drones and missiles. 10 people were killed by Russian strikes on Saturday, including an 11-year-old boy. Moscow said it had shot down 258 Ukrainian drones over the same period.

US peace efforts have also been slowed by Washington's ongoing war with Iran, which has consumed much of the administration's diplomatic bandwidth through the summer. 

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is now in its fifth year, with no territorial resolution in sight.

On the streets of Kyiv, the mood was cautious at best. "At the moment, I have no grounds for hope," said Yaroslav. "I have seen far too many of these negotiation processes."

Is peace within reach?

The gap between the two sides remains wide. 

Zelenskyy has consistently demanded security guarantees for Ukraine before any settlement, assurances that Russian forces will not simply regroup and return. 

Putin has shown little willingness to abandon Russia's territorial ambitions in eastern Ukraine, and has continued large-scale strikes throughout the summer despite ongoing diplomacy.

He has repeatedly stated that Moscow intends to seize the rest of eastern Ukraine.