Diplomacy & Geopolitics
US envoys land in Moscow for Ukraine peace push
US President Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow on Saturday for talks on a proposal to end more than four years of war between Russia and Ukraine.
After talks in Moscow, the pair are expected to travel to Kyiv. A senior Ukrainian official told AFP they were expected in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday. Axios reported that they would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday.
Trump said the two negotiators were sent to see whether progress was possible. “They're bringing with them a proposal to end the war,” he told reporters. He did not say whether the plan involved Ukraine ceding territory, but added: “We have an idea for peace.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of trying to disrupt the visit with overnight strikes on Kyiv's two airports and on a civilian target in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukrainian accounts gave differing death figures: Zelensky said the Dnipropetrovsk strike killed five people, while Oleksandr Ganzha, head of the regional military administration, said a Russian strike killed four people and wounded five in Kamianske.
Zelensky proposed halting airstrikes for the duration of the envoys' trip. He said Ukraine would not carry out airstrikes during that period and that Russia should do the same. Russia did not immediately comment on the proposal.
The planned Kyiv stop would be the first visit there by Witkoff and Kushner since Trump returned to office. Travelling to Kyiv by plane would be unusual because Ukrainian airspace has been closed since 2022, and visiting officials have generally travelled by train.
The renewed diplomatic push comes as Russia and Ukraine have intensified long-range missile and drone attacks. Zelensky said Friday that a Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in central Kyiv, the first such strike on the building since the start of Russia's invasion.
Update
A senior Ukrainian official told AFP the envoys were expected in Kyiv on Sunday.
Axios reported that the envoys would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday.
Donald Trump said the envoys were carrying a proposal to end the war but did not say whether it involved Ukraine ceding territory.
Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of trying to disrupt the envoys' visit with strikes on Kyiv's airports and a target in Dnipropetrovsk region.
Zelensky said Ukraine would not launch airstrikes during the envoys' trip and called on Russia to do the same.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 September 2026 at 10:56:50 UTC.
Update
Russian agencies said US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow on Saturday.
RIA Novosti said their plane touched down at 12:52 pm (0952 GMT).
After talks in Moscow, the envoys are expected to travel on to Kyiv.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 September 2026 at 10:12:18 UTC.
Update
Oleksandr Ganzha said a Russian strike killed four people and wounded five in Kamianske in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Trump said Witkoff and Kushner were being sent to see whether progress was possible and were carrying a proposal to end the war.
The item adds that Ukrainian airspace has been closed since Russia's full-scale invasion and that visiting officials have largely travelled to Kyiv by train.
Zelensky said Ukraine would adjust its air operations so there would be no threat to diplomacy from the Ukrainian side.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 September 2026 at 10:04:23 UTC.
Update
Russian agencies reported that US envoys landed in Moscow.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 September 2026 at 10:05:01 UTC.
Update
Zelensky said the strikes hit civilian targets including Kyiv's two airports.
Zelensky said the strikes were a reaction to discussions about possible US aircraft travel to Ukraine.
Zelensky said there would be no threats to diplomacy from the Ukrainian side.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 September 2026 at 09:18:47 UTC.
Update
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russian strikes on Ukrainian airports ahead of expected US envoy visits.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 September 2026 at 09:10:13 UTC.
Update
Oleksandr Ganzha said a Russian strike in Kamianske killed four people and wounded five.
The item adds that the diplomatic push follows a rare Moscow visit by CIA director John Ratcliffe, according to US media.
The item adds that the United States welcomed Russia's finance minister at a G20 gathering in North Carolina earlier in the week.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 September 2026 at 04:09:27 UTC.
Update
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in central Kyiv hours before Trump's announcement.
Zelensky said the strike was aimed at the office of the agency's acting chief.
The item says it was the first strike on the SBU headquarters since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Zelensky proposed that Ukraine and Russia observe a halt to airstrikes for the duration of the US envoys' trip.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 September 2026 at 02:36:51 UTC.
Update
A senior Ukrainian official told AFP that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff would visit Kyiv on Sunday.
Axios reported that the envoys would travel on Friday, meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday and meet Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday.
The Kremlin declined to comment on the matter.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 September 2026 at 22:01:27 UTC.
Update
Trump would not say whether the proposal involved Ukraine ceding territory.
The trip would be the first time Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have visited Kyiv since Trump returned to office last year.
Volodymyr Zelensky said he had proposed observing a ceasefire with Russia while the US envoys visit Moscow and Kyiv.
Trump played down Germany's allegation that Russia was behind an attempted drone attack on an airport.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 September 2026 at 19:32:04 UTC.
Update
Trump named Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff as the envoys.
Trump said they were carrying a proposal to end the four-year-old Ukraine war.
Trump said there “may be a good chance” of getting something done.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 September 2026 at 19:01:46 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The contents of the US peace proposal were not detailed.
Trump did not say whether the plan would involve Ukraine ceding territory.
Russia had not immediately commented on Zelensky's proposed halt to airstrikes during the envoys' trip.
Ukrainian statements in the item gave different death figures for the Dnipropetrovsk region strike.
Source
AFP news report published on .