Witkoff and Kushner’s Long-Shot Bid for a Winter Peace in Ukraine

The outlook for the Ukraine War looks grim as winter approaches. Russian missile and drone strikes are battering Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, with Black Sea ports disrupted, steel production halted, and rail systems strained. Kyiv is enduring almost round-the-clock drone and missile attacks. Ukrainian officials have urged some residents to leave their homes because heat and power may be in short supply. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized a recent U.S. purchase of Russian diesel as a concession that undercuts Ukrainian leverage and said Russia kept striking Ukrainian energy facilities even after the energy ceasefire President Trump announced on October 12. Trump has said Ukraine needs new leadership.