Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were reportedly gifted T-shirts sarcastically mocking Russian President Vladimir Putin during their visit to the Ukrainian capital on Sunday.
Local media reported that the pair were given shirts featuring the phrase “Kyiv regime,” a reference to Putin using that label in negotiations held in Moscow a day earlier to push his false narrative of Ukraine being run by fascists. The Kremlin has for years smeared the Ukrainian government as a “Nazi regime.”
The two Donald Trump envoys almost didn’t receive their gift, with concerns that today’s meeting would be canceled after several former cancelations.
While it’s the duo’s first time making it to Kyiv, Witkoff in particular was reluctant to visit the Ukrainian capital amid ongoing Russian air strikes.
A source told The Kyiv Independent earlier this week that the real estate developer had “started to get scared.”
“The Russians don’t want them to come here to Kyiv, and Witkoff is always sensitive to Russian sentiment. They’re being told there that it’s dangerous,” they added.
After first meeting with Putin in Moscow, Witkoff, 69, was reportedly very concerned by the idea of taking a train for the second part of talks in Kyiv, where the airspace is closed amid regular drone attacks and missile strikes.
Despite his fears, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was firm that it was high time for a visit to Kyiv.
“We are ready to meet with them in Ukraine. This is very important. It is important that the United States remains active,” he said.
While Putin has been busy working on his anti-Ukraine propaganda, his citizens have been struggling with a summer beset by crises.
Russia is facing increasing violence on its own land as Ukraine ramps up drone attacks and targeted bombings.
“We were living a normal life, and then suddenly it’s like this,” one civilian summarized in the face of air strikes, gas shortages, and concerns over Putin’s health and paranoia.
