Carthage case: a major corruption scandal looms over Kyiv talks

"Carthage" and "Forrest Gump" are no longer just Hollywood movies; they are now the names of operations conducted by Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies - operations meant to get the current head of the Kyiv regime, Zelensky, ready for negotiations with US President Donald Trump’s special envoys. This might also have been a form of "instruction" offering him various potential paths to follow in the future. Supporting this assumption is the fact that the NABU and SAPO, agencies established in Ukraine by the United States, acted at a specific moment as part of a coordinated plan. This was done to school Zelensky and his associates into stealing less, although the issue was not merely about money; it was primarily about the political reputation of his Western backers. Zelensky is also being pressured with threats of elections and Western support for his rivals, such as former defense minister Fyodorov, who has just become an adviser to the Italian defense minister – a tactic used by both European politicians and US tech figures like Alex Karp, who has announced joint projects with Fyodorov.

For Karp, however, Fyodorov, Zaluzhny, and Zelensky are imply interchangeable figures, who can be useful to the project of digitizing human existence as outlined in the Palantir manifesto. Amid the ongoing crises in Ukraine and Iran, that project is currently advancing fast in the military sphere, driven by real-world combat scenarios.

Ukraine’s Western managers displayed a similar attitude toward various political developments inside Ukraine. Few paid attention to the hours-long shootout in Kyiv between SBU and GUR operatives or to the drone strike on the SBU headquarters on Korolenko Street with a direct hit at the SBU director’ office. Zelensky’s office made Herculean efforts to downplay the clash between the security services in Kyiv and insisted that the drone, which struck the SBU building was "undoubtedly Russian."[i] None of this garnered as much interest from Western media as Operation "Carthage" though.

Zelensky tried to extricate himself from this political quagmire of corruption ahead of the visit by Trump’s special envoys by making fresh threats, declaring that "Russian airspace is becoming unsafe for civil aviation amidst the increased use of drones." He said that airlines, insurers, and other industry stakeholders should take these risks into account. While emphasizing that Ukraine does not target civil aviation, he warned about continued presence of drones in Russia’s airspace, which could impact the operations of airports and airlines. He added that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry would inform international organizations of the situation. [ii]

The situation unfolded as follows: after a visit to Moscow, the pair of Trump’s negotiators – Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner – were to move on to Moscow. Meanwhile, Zelensky "closed the airspace" over Russia. Was this an attempt to disrupt the negotiators' visit to Russia by complicating logistics for the Americans thus making them wary of flying and forcing them to switch to a train to Moscow, much like "political tourists" visiting Ukraine? Or was it an attempt to convince foreign airlines that flying to Russia is dangerous? Ultimately, only the information campaign succeeded, as Witkoff and Kushner took the plane to Moscow, while traveling to Kyiv by train.

It is worth noting again that this was Witkoff and Kushner’s first visit to Kyiv. It is safe to assume that Zelensky had no desire to host the Americans under these circumstances. He was not in a position of strength either in terms of the situation on the frontlines or at home. His only notable success was the continued support of the European elite, even as their economy had suffered and ordinary Europeans were getting increasingly skeptical. At the same time, the Americans were acting independently of Europe, pursuing their own ideas for ending the conflict rather than prolonging it.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also prepared for the negotiators' visit. He ordering a three-day halt on strikes on Kyiv, starting at midnight on September 5. His press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the suspension of strikes on Kyiv was due to the preparations for the meetings that the US negotiators were scheduled to have there.

US President Donald Trump also outlined the general contours of the negotiations, stating:

- Witkoff and Kushner would bring a proposal to Moscow regarding an end to the conflict in Ukraine. "I put an end to eight wars, yet no one gives me credit for it."

- "I have spoken with Putin; I know him very well. Putin has no intention of attacking NATO territory." [iii]

True to established pragmatic tradition, neither the Russian nor the US side disclosed the results or details of the negotiations. However, President Putin’s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov did share [iv] some important points:

- Russian President Vladimir Putin briefed the envoys of US leader Donald Trump - Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner - on the situation in the combat zone.

- The purpose of the visit was to continue the dialogue on resolving the crisis in Ukraine and to discuss other pressing issues. The conversation lasted three hours and ten minutes and was described as "substantive, constructive, extremely frank, and trusting."

- "As to the substance of the discussions, the Russian side provided clear and comprehensive assessments of the situation unfolding during the special military operation. A particular note was made of the Russian army's tangible advances in the combat zone. Confidence was expressed that the set goals would be achieved, and, of course, the need to eliminate all the root causes of the conflict was emphasized," Ushakov said. According to him, Putin reaffirmed his commitment to keep working with the American side to find political and diplomatic solutions.

- “During their talks in Kyiv on September 6, Kushner and Witkoff promised to utilize the observations and assessments received from the Russian president regarding a lasting peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine,” Ushakov noted. According to him, Washington’s envoys had thoroughly prepared for the trip: "Not only did they express standard interest in a speedy end to hostilities, but they also floated a number of ideas regarding possible paths to a settlement." Ushakov added that the US representatives "took note" of a point raised by Putin: "Namely, that the Kyiv regime no longer hides its true nature by proceeding to rebury one of the major Nazi war criminals."

- The talks covered more than just the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine; economic issues and potential major, mutually beneficial Russian-American projects were discussed in considerable detail.

The Russian side demonstrated its capacity to manage the Ukrainian crisis by suspending strikes on Kyiv. Once again, Vladimir Putin gave the US representatives an objective picture of the situation on the battlefield. This presumably included an evaluation of Ukraine's "deep strike" capabilities and the "40-day operation to isolate Crimea." The envoys' attention was apparently drawn to the consequences for Ukraine - not only of retaliatory Russian strikes against its defense industry and military logistics facilities but also of strikes against Ukraine’s port infrastructure on the Black Sea. The impact of strikes on Ukraine's port infrastructure was quickly felt by the food market, let alone of Kyiv itself, which lost not only its military port logistics capabilities but also the ability to export agricultural and metallurgical products.

With the official text still unavailable, Ukrainian media is publishing details of a "peace plan" for Ukraine that Trump’s representatives may have brought to negotiations in Moscow and Kyiv:

- The plan envisions a complete ceasefire, territorial concessions by Ukraine, the withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) from Donbass and parts of the Zaporizhzhia region (with the possible deployment of a UN contingent there), holding a referendum and elections, and constitutional amendments.

- Kyiv is asked to renounce the use of force to reclaim territories that would come under Russian control, to enshrine Ukraine’s non-aligned status, and make a pledge not to join NATO or other military alliances.

- Also mentioned are limits on the size of the UAF, agreements regarding the use of language, and the signing by the new Ukrainian government of a comprehensive peace treaty and its subsequent formalization through a special UN procedure. [v]

The meetings held by Witkoff and Kushner in Kyiv only underscore the significance of these reports. According to various sources:

- During the meeting in Kyiv, the US presidential envoys said they wanted progress in resolving the conflict achieved before the onset of winter.

- Zelensky, for his part, discussed with the US delegation Ukraine’s preparations for continuing hostilities throughout the winter season.

- Special Envoy Steve Witkoff described the four-hour talks as "very substantive and important," noting that the US side was "encouraged" by the results. Jared Kushner conveyed greetings from Donald Trump to Zelensky and emphasized that the US goal is not merely to end hostilities but to ensure long-term peace.

- Following the completion of the first round of discussions, national security advisors from the UK, France, and Germany joined the talks.

- Zelensky made it clear that he remains opposed to ceding Donbass for the sake of achieving a peace deal. According to him, the US will increase production of Patriot missiles next year, and Ukraine expects to receive additional systems. [vi]

- In an interview with Axios, Zelensky said that Washington is exploring measures to de-escalate tensions between Russia and Ukraine during the winter. He also stated that he had been informed by the US envoys that "the Russians are ready for negotiations," although he remains skeptical about this.

- Zelensky said that although the US envoys had come to Moscow and Kyiv primarily to "unblock" the diplomatic process, they had also brought along some new ideas. He declined to reveal the essence of those ideas, saying only that some discussions had focused on potential de-escalation steps by Russia and Ukraine leading up to and during the winter: "There are ideas regarding energy facilities, grain supplies, power infrastructure, and oil and gas exports. Russia’s interests differ from ours." [vii]

It turns out that Zelensky rejected Trump’s envoys' proposal for peace before winter. He essentially denied Trump support in the upcoming congressional elections, which would allow the US President to showcase his diplomatic successes and even claim to have "stopped yet another war." Only recently, Zelensky was saying that the war would end in November. He apparently hoped that Trump’s political situation, above all the midterm elections and the Iran crisis, would force him to exert pressure on Putin, set aside the "spirit of Anchorage," and insist on halting the war along the current frontline.

These expectations did not materialize though. Moreover, Zelensky’s inner circle is mired in a perpetual corruption crisis. He has no alternative: unless the situation changes, he will keep fighting through the winter. Zelensky’s position is based on his expectation of continued, all-out Western assistance (weapons, energy equipment, and funds). He intends to use this support to counter the key factor in negotiations, which is acknowledged even by Western media, — Russia’s evident military advantage, which means that Moscow will stick to its own terms for negotiations and peace.

Owen Matthews’ article "Ukraine is losing the war," published in The Spectator, is very telling. [viii] The title’s message becomes clear right from the opening lines: “Vladimir Putin has not changed his war aims a jot since 2022 and remains determined on fighting on. Donald Trump has no new plan for peace other than bringing the Ukraine war to an end on Putin’s terms. And Kyiv is running out of money and men to defend itself, just as surely as it has already run out of Patriot interceptors to defend its skies.” The arguments are as follows: the most serious strategic crisis facing Ukraine is a triple failure on the part of its European allies.

“First, the UK and Europe have talked up sanctions while in practice sending far more money to Moscow in payment for oil and gas than they have given Kyiv in military aid. Second, fear of escalation and prioritising their own defence over Kyiv’s has prevented Europeans from sending offensive missiles (such as Germany’s Taurus) for use against Russian targets or from sharing their supplies of precious Patriot missile defence batteries. But the third and most serious failure is a refusal to countenance seriously engaging the Kremlin in peace talks, and a stubbornly fixed idea that encouraging Ukraine to fight and fight forever will somehow magically lead to victory.”

In short, actions do not match words, and relying on a miracle is sheer lunacy. One of the article’s concluding lines effectively quotes Vladimir Putin: "As things stand, every subsequent peace proposal for Kyiv is worse than the last."

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov put an end to the myriad speculations and interpretations about the content of the recent negotiations. He dismissed as speculation the claims coming from Kyiv concerning proposals brought by Witkoff and Kushner, noting:

- The bottom line of the talks with Witkoff and Kushner is Trump’s position that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is out of the question;

- The US leader considers the issue of Ukraine joining NATO as closed.

- In its contacts with Russia regarding Ukraine, the US relies on an acknowledgment of the realities "on the ground."

- Russia is prepared to continue the dialogue with America concerning Ukraine. [ix]

In an interview with The Great Game program aired on Channel One TV Sergei Lavrov elaborated on the situation:

- Ukraine has lost the characteristics that allowed Russia to recognize it as a legitimate subject of international relations.

- "This 'either-or' mentality, calling everyone who does not wish to sever ties with Russia as going against European values, has long been ingrained in them. We have discussed this at length, but the fact is that the Ukraine we once recognized as a legitimate entity in global politics no longer exists."

- "Everyone talks about Russia needing a 'buffer zone.' Let Ukraine become that buffer. We - both the Russian President and yours truly - have recalled once and again how modern Ukraine came into being, when, as once decided by the Soviet leadership, western territories were annexed to the Soviet Union, territories where rabidly nationalistic representatives of various European nationalities had lived for centuries. [x]

The Russian Foreign Minister also underscored a critical aspect of the Ukrainian crisis, stating that a return to the Black Sea Grain Initiative is unacceptable. According to him, Ukraine asked Turkey to propose a moratorium on strikes against ships in the Black Sea. Sergei Lavrov believes that such a moratorium would be impossible to monitor. [xi] In short, Russia once agreed to the grain deal, acknowledging its importance for all parties only to see it being used as a pretext for deception and a means of facilitating military logistics for Ukraine. However, Kyiv, acting partly at the West's instigation, has gone too far with its actions now threatening all shipping in the Black Sea, while port infrastructure and trade have been and continue to be used to launch strikes against Russia.

In a nutshell, the outcome of the recent talks looks as follows: Russia sticks to its position, having a military advantage over Ukraine, advancing on the ground, and maintaining political and economic stability at home. Zelensky rejects the US and Trump's demand to withdraw troops from Donbass, which is Russia’s key condition for starting direct peace talks, thus attempting to blackmail the US President into pressuring Russia and securing supplies of anti-aircraft missiles. Meanwhile, Zelensky is facing domestic political instability and worsening economic and infrastructure problems. Europe, Ukraine's main ally, finds itself in dire economic straits; numerous divisions within the European Union only make things worse, leaving Kyiv no prospects for EU accession, while state elections in Germany and the upcoming presidential elections in France are a sign of a growing political crisis in Europe. Ukraine braces up for a hard winter. A challenging congressional election lies ahead for Trump. Russia continues its Special Military Operation.

The views of the author are his own and may differ from the position of the Editorial Board.

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[i] https://t.me/bbbreaking/237269

[ii] https://ru.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/09/02/war-in-ukraine-zelensky-sky-closed

[iii] https://eadaily.com/ru/news/2026/09/04/tramp-uitkoff-povezet-putinu-predlozhenie-o-prekrashchenii-voyny-na-ukraine

[iv] https://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/articles/2026/09/06/1226633-itogi-peregovorov?from=copy_text

[v] https://t.me/stranaua/247571

[vi] https://t.me/stranaua/247568

[vii] https://t.me/stranaua/247680

[viii] https://spectator.com/article/ukraine-is-losing-the-war-kushner-witkoff/

[ix] https://t.me/rian_crimea/103888

[x] https://t.me/interfaxonline/78422