US President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is dispatching his son-in-law Jared Kushner and businessman Steve Witkoff to Moscow and Kyiv to present a plan aimed at terminating the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Trump stated that the pair, who have previously led US peace efforts in the Middle East and regarding Ukraine, are carrying a specific proposal, though he declined to release further details or confirm whether it involves territorial concessions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the envoys are scheduled to travel to Ukraine on Sunday, following preliminary discussions in Moscow. The trip marks a significant step, as Kushner and Witkoff have not visited Kyiv since Trump’s reelection last year despite previous meetings with Russian officials in the capital.
Zelenskyy announced via Telegram that Ukraine would suspend air strikes during the diplomatic visit and urged Russia to do the same to ensure safe conditions for negotiations. He emphasized that the safety of the American negotiators was the priority, adding that Ukraine would facilitate normal operations in Russian airspace to allow their arrival.
Meanwhile, Russian Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stopped short of confirming the US visit, stating only that the media would be notified if talks occurred. This follows comments from Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday describing current negotiations as “frozen.” The last meeting between the US envoys and Putin took place in January.
Tensions remain high despite the diplomatic push. A Russian drone strike hit the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) in Kyiv on Friday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the attack as a major escalation that reveals Moscow’s rejection of diplomacy. Zelenskyy subsequently ordered a response designed to mirror the strike where feasible. Ukraine has also continued its own drone campaigns targeting Russian oil infrastructure and the retail company Wildberries.
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