Published on 06/09/2026 – 8:07 GMT+2
American diplomats Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet Ukrainian officials in Kyiv on Sunday after engaging with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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The envoys met with the Russian leader in Moscow on Saturday to discuss a strategy for ending the conflict in Ukraine, which commenced in February 2022 after Russia launched a full-scale invasion.
A White House spokesperson informed the AFP news agency that the officials met with Putin to “advance President Trump’s peace agenda regarding the Russia-Ukraine War.”
“Both sides deliberated on substantive plans for future actions, which will be revealed in the coming weeks, and anticipate equally productive discussions tomorrow in Ukraine,” a statement noted.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described the discussions as “extremely frank” and stated that the American side had “put forward several ideas regarding potential paths to a settlement.”
He further noted that Russian officials expressed “confidence” in their ability to capture the remainder of eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he also spoke with Witkoff and Kushner on Saturday, reaffirming Kyiv’s dedication to suspending strikes during their visit.
“Since this conversation, we are prepared to observe a ceasefire in airstrikes targeting the cities involved in the negotiation process,” Zelenskyy wrote in a social media post. “From now through the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from striking Moscow, and we expect Russia to reciprocate regarding Kyiv.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the Russian news agency Interfax that President Putin has ordered his forces to cease strikes on Kyiv for three days while the envoys travel. He noted that the halt took effect at midnight on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that Witkoff and Kushner would be delivering a “proposal to end the war” to both Kyiv and Moscow.
“I dispatched Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two exceptional negotiators. They have performed admirably, and we sent them to determine if we can achieve a breakthrough,” Trump said. “There is a strong possibility that we will.”
Zelenskyy stated on Saturday that the Ukrainian framework for discussions with the envoys had been approved and that Kyiv was prepared for a “substantive dialogue.”
Additional sources • AFP
