Trump envoys tout real progress after marathon meetings at UN General Assembly

UNITED NATIONS — President Trump’s peace envoys are touting “real progress” after holding talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, including negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine war and the US-Iran conflict.US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with newly elected UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, and Iranian mediators to further peace work during the annual summit of the world’s peacekeeping organization in New York City that ended Monday. “I sense a sort of feeling of hope and promise.When all these nations come together and they can talk face to face — that’s what drives progress,” Witkoff told The Post.“We are all working together to tackle some of the world’s toughest problems and confront challenges head-on that have faced our nations for decades.”That’s included nearly two years of negotiations to try to resolve the Ukraine war, for which US officials sought an energy cease-fire to quiet markets that has so far been rebuffed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.Meetings with Zelensky and Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy, during the UN General Assembly week in New York have yet to yield a permanent truce between the countries, but there has been an agreement for the US to license Patriot defensive missile technology to Ukraine. The envoys also joined Trump for a meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council of leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

Additionally, they hosted France, Germany and the UK for a dinner with Ukraine’s delegation, the Post has learned.More than three hours of meetings that Witkoff and Kushner held with Iranians have also spurred further discussions through mediators about a potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a US official.Witkoff, Kushner, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have all been involved in the Iran peace talks.Trump alread...