Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, special envoys for US President Donald Trump, arrived in Moscow on Saturday to negotiate an end to the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Issued on: 05/09/2026 – 17:24
Following discussions in Moscow, the envoys are anticipated to travel to Kyiv as part of Washington’s latest effort to overcome a diplomatic deadlock.
This marks the initial visit to Kyiv for Trump’s businessman associate Witkoff and his son-in-law Kushner since the president’s return to office with a promise to resolve the dispute.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged that Russia attempted to sabotage the envoys’ trip with strikes on Kyiv’s two airports on Friday night, alongside an attack on a civilian target in the Dnipro region that resulted in five fatalities.
“Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a direct response to the discussions and preparations for a potential US aircraft journey to Ukraine,” Zelensky stated on social media.
Putin orders ceasefire
Prior to engaging with Witkoff and Kushner, Russian President Vladimir Putin commanded a three-day cessation of strikes on Kyiv to facilitate negotiations with the American delegation.
“The Russian president and commander-in-chief has ordered that Kyiv not be struck for three days starting from midnight tonight,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Friday.
He noted that this decision was tied to the preparation and execution of talks by American negotiators in Kyiv.
Traveling to Kyiv by air would be an unprecedented step, given that Ukrainian airspace has been closed since 2022 due to the ongoing conflict. Typically, visiting leaders and officials utilize trains.
Witkoff and Kushner are expected to reach Kyiv on Sunday, according to a senior Ukrainian official who spoke with the French news agency AFP.
Trump told reporters that the envoys would attempt to determine whether meaningful progress toward peace is achievable.
Russia and Ukraine have escalated long-range attacks, driving civilian casualties to levels not witnessed since the conflict began in February 2022.
‘Great negotiators’
Trump praised Witkoff and Kushner as exceptional negotiators. “They’ve done a great job,” he added. “We sent them over to see whether we can get something done. And there may be a good chance that we will,” Trump stated.
“They are bringing a proposal to end the war.”
Witkoff and Kushner, who have previously participated in ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and Iran, have traveled to Moscow multiple times in prior attempts to forge a diplomatic resolution.
Their visit follows a trip to Moscow last month by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who, according to US media, cautioned Russia against attacking NATO member states.
(With newswires)
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