In brief
In an unprecedented move, President Donald Trump’s peace envoys—his son‑in‑law Jared Kushner and former White House aide Steve Witkoff—are heading to Moscow to negotiate with President Vladimir Putin before detouring to Kyiv in the hopes of rallying Ukraine back into talks. Kyiv’s President Zelensky confirmed a meeting with the envoys and pledged to honour their safety, while a recent drone raid on the office of Ukraine’s security chief underscored the fight’s immediacy. Kremlin officials said they expected the visit, but no concrete breakthrough has yet emerged. The talks could lay groundwork for a lasting agreement after Russia seized roughly 20% of Ukraine’s territory in 2022.
US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Moscow on Saturday and leave for Kyiv Sunday, in a bid to return a stalled peace effort to the spotlight.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed he will meet the envoys, after they touch down in Russia, as the conflict rages on and global powers seek a way out.
Witkoff, a former architect of Trump’s foreign strategy, and Kushner—his son‑in‑law who has previously visited Russia—are expected to press President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine’s grievances and propose terms for a cease‑fire.
Meanwhile, a Russian drone hit the office of Ukraine’s security chief, Oleksandr Poklad, in Kyiv. Poklad was unharmed, and Zelensky urged a proactive response to the attack.
The scheduled visits are the first time Kushner and Witkoff will journey to Ukraine itself, highlighting a new phase in the peace quest. Moscow’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said officials would disclose any outcome “once the contacts take place.”
Putin, who recently hinted at the possibility of a deal, emphasised that Moscow and Kyiv must negotiate mutually, yet he maintained hard‑line demands that Kyiv already rejects. The war has cost both sides substantial human and material losses, with Russia controlling around 20% of Ukrainian land.
