Ukraine, U.S., Russia signal continued diplomatic efforts on Ukraine crisis

Ukraine, the United States and Russia have signaled continued diplomatic efforts regarding the conflict after a U.S. delegation visited Moscow and Kiev on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

In a social media post on Monday, Witkoff said the U.S. delegation's recent visits to Russia and Ukraine had produced "substantive progress," including progress toward arranging subsequent trilateral talks.

Witkoff said the purpose of the U.S. delegation's visit was to facilitate additional dialogue aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Before the visit, Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a three-day ceasefire to facilitate separate meetings between the U.S. delegation and the Russian and Ukrainian sides. The U.S. delegation visited Moscow and Kiev on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday on social media that the Ukrainian side held a meeting to review negotiations following talks with a delegation led by U.S. presidential special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Representatives from Britain, France and Germany also took part in the discussions.

According to Zelensky, the participants focused on Ukraine's air defense needs, technical cooperation and a package of support for the winter, while continuing to coordinate subsequent meetings and communications.

Following the talks on Sunday, Ukrainian representatives also held separate one-on-one exchanges with Witkoff and Kushner to further discuss the outcomes of the day's meetings.

Zelensky stressed that the current priority is to actively advance diplomatic efforts to sustain the peace process, as Ukraine coordinates next steps and prepares for upcoming meetings and communications.

Also on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia does not rule out the possibility of resuming trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States, saying it is premature at this stage to discuss when and where such talks might take place.

Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin might speak by phone with President Trump after Witkoff and Kushner conclude their visits to Russia and Ukraine.

He added that the Russian side had not yet received information about the outcome of Witkoff and Kushner's talks with the Ukrainian side, but spoke highly of the efforts made by the U.S. negotiators to mediate the conflict.

Ukraine, U.S., Russia signal continued diplomatic efforts on Ukraine crisis

Iranian officials have strongly condemned a deadly U.S. airstrike that hit a wedding ceremony in the southern province of Hormozgan last week, which comes after numerous strikes on civilian targets which have occurred in recent months.

Iranian media reported that the U.S. strike night hit a wedding party in Sirik County of Hormozgan on Sept 1, killing at least four people and injuring 68 others. Reports said that dozens of people had gathered for the wedding of a fisherman's daughter.

Following the incident, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described the attack as "a desperate U.S. attempt to hide its defeat", while U.S. Vice President JD Vance later said the United States is "investigating" the strike.

The attack has been met with widespread anger across Iran, turning what should have been a joyous occasion into one of tragedy and grief.

Jodari, a local official in Kuhestak where the attack happened, described what unfolded. He said U.S. forces first hit a signal tower in the area, before two missiles struck the wedding venue.

"Two missiles hit here. One struck the roof directly. The other came in from the edge of the roof of the building opposite and hit the upper part of the structure. Such acts should be condemned. Any attack on civilians anywhere in the world must be condemned," said Jodari as he spoke from the scene of the attack.

Iranian officials say the latest attack is the latest in a series of questionable humanitarian violations committed by the United States in its war against Iran.

"On the very first day of the war, they struck a school in Minab, and the school is nearby here. They also hit a gymnasium in Lamerd. So far, more than 30 gymnasiums and several hospitals across Iran have been attacked. Many civilian facilities, including bridges, pharmaceutical factories, and other infrastructure, have also been targeted," said Morteza Karamoozian, head of Iran's Media Basij Organization.

One of the most controversial incidents occurred on the opening day of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran on Feb 28, when a strike hit a girls' elementary school in Minab in the south of the country, killing 168 people, most of them children, according to Iranian authorities. Evidence from subsequent investigations has pointed to a U.S. Tomahawk missile as the weapon used in the strike.

Iranian officials strongly condemn deadly US airstrike on wedding ceremony