Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. peace envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Sunday for talks that lasted more than three hours.
Zelensky said his country is seeking to end the conflict with Russia but needs security guarantees. "We are interested in bringing the end of the war closer. Peace is needed. Security guarantees are needed," he said on X ahead of the talks with U.S. peace envoys.
Zelensky said Ukraine's proposals were ready and stressed the importance of coordinated, substantive and realistic efforts.
Witkov described the talks as substantial and meaningful. He emphasized that the U.S. will continue to advance the relevant mediation process. Kushner said that the U.S. delegation expects further progress from both the Ukrainian and Russian sides.
Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Kiev earlier in the day for their first visit to Ukraine, following their trip to Moscow.
A second round of talks is expected later, with national security advisers from Germany, France and the United Kingdom set to join the discussions.
Zelensky meets US peace envoys, says Ukraine seeks peace, security guarantees
Maintaining internal unity and external deterrence are two important means for Iran when facing its enemies, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Sunday.
He made the remarks at an open session of the legislative body in Tehran, stressing that the "era of proportionate responses" has come to an end, according to the Iranian parliament's ICANA news agency.
"The Americans must have understood that the era of proportionate responses has ended. Our strikes against the aggressor's bases in recent operations were only the beginning," Qalibaf said.
"The rules of the game have changed, and from now on, any aggression against Iran's interests and security will receive a faster, heavier, and more painful response," he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday threatened Iran with a devastating response if it attacked Israel and said his government remained determined to bring down Tehran's leadership.
"If Iran makes a mistake and attacks us, it will suffer a blow it cannot even imagine," Netanyahu told ministers at a cabinet meeting ahead of the Jewish New Year.
Tensions escalated between Tehran and Washington recently after the United States carried out strikes against southern Iranian regions, and Iran launched retaliatory attacks on U.S. regional bases. The strikes were followed by naval confrontations between the two sides on Saturday.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran, Israel threaten each other with more strikes if attacked
