US President Donald Trump has announced that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be sent to Moscow on Saturday and Kyiv on Sunday. According to Trump, the two envoys will explore the prospects of a peace agreement to end the Russia-Ukraine war and present proposals.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a temporary ceasefire during the US envoys’ visit, urging both sides to halt airstrikes. On 20 Bhadra (September 6), Washington (Rassas/AFP) – Trump’s decision to dispatch his special envoys marks a renewed effort to end the war in Ukraine that has persisted for more than four years. The envoys are scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday, followed by talks with Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday.
A senior Ukrainian official confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner are expected to arrive in Kyiv on Sunday. However, the Kremlin has yet to comment on their visit.
Both envoys previously played key roles in ceasefire negotiations related to Gaza and Iran. Trump has asserted that his administration has a clear plan to establish peace, though he has not clarified whether the proposals will include Ukraine ceding part of its territory to Russia.
Diplomatic efforts by the US come amid intensified missile and drone attacks between Russia and Ukraine, which have resulted in increasing civilian casualties. Hours before Trump’s announcement, Russian drones attacked the headquarters of Ukraine’s security service in Kyiv, according to President Zelensky. He stated the target was the office of the acting head of the security service. This is the first attack on the security service headquarters since the war began. Following the attack, Zelensky called for a temporary ceasefire during the US envoys’ visit and urged both parties to suspend aerial attacks. Russia has so far not responded to this proposal.
Earlier, Zelensky warned that if Russia continued the war, Ukraine’s drones would make Russian airspace unsafe. The visit by Witkoff and Kushner will mark their first opportunity to visit war-torn Kyiv since Trump’s second term began. Both have previously traveled to Moscow multiple times as part of diplomatic efforts with Russia.
This visit follows a recent trip to Moscow by John Ratcliffe, chief of US intelligence. US media report that Ratcliffe warned Russia against attacking NATO member states. Additionally, this week the US welcomed the participation of the Russian finance minister at a Group of Twenty meeting held in North Carolina.
Trump’s latest initiative seeks to accelerate diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. However, significant disagreements remain between Moscow and Kyiv over the key terms of any ceasefire and potential peace agreement.
