U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to visit Moscow and Kyiv on September 5-6 to revive peace negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed he held a detailed and constructive
call with the envoys as Washington seeks to broker an end to the conflict.
The diplomatic push comes at a moment of extreme volatility. While President Vladimir Putin has suggested a peace agreement remains possible, the ground reality is defined by continued strikes. Just this week, a Russian drone hit the office of Ukraine’s security chief, Oleksandr Poklad, in Kyiv. Zelenskyy said he had ordered Poklad, who heads the SBU security service, to respond “adequately” to the attack; Poklad appears to be unharmed.
The Witkoff-Kushner Itinerary and Russian Resistance
The proposed schedule suggests a two-stage diplomatic sprint. According to the Russian state news agency TASS and reports from Axios citing US officials, the envoys will meet President Putin in Moscow on Saturday and then will hold talks with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday in Kyiv.
Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko also stated that the pair were expected in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday, following their visit to Moscow on Saturday. This trip marks a significant first for the pair; while Witkoff and Kushner have visited Russia multiple times—including a four-hour late-night session with Putin in January—they have never previously visited Ukraine. A source cited by Reuters indicated that Russia has opposed the Kyiv visit and is actively attempting to persuade Washington to alter the plan. The source added that the Russians do not want them to visit Kyiv and are trying to make them change the plan.
The Kremlin has remained characteristically vague about the official schedule.
Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, said that he would not make any announcements right now but that they will provide information when those contacts take place.
Conflicting Visions for a Peace Deal
The envoys are stepping into a massive deadlock. Moscow and Kyiv still have major differences over territory, Nato and the terms of a possible Russia-Ukraine peace deal. Kyiv views the current situation with caution; President Zelenskyy has emphasized that Ukraine and its partners must continue working to protect people and recognizes that Putin still wants war.
Putin, speaking at an economic forum in Russia’s Far East, acknowledged the possibility of a settlement. He noted that several countries, including the United States and China, were ready to support a peace deal, but stated the matter ultimately had to be resolved by Russia and Ukraine, the two countries directly involved in the conflict.
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, stated that in his view there is an opportunity.
The Stakes for Washington and Kyiv
For the Trump administration, these visits are an attempt to fulfill a goal to end the war and prevent further casualties. In an interview with GB News, Donald Trump stated that he just wants to see the war end and thinks they are going to accomplish that. However, the diplomatic effort is tied to a financial expectation: Trump added that he would ask European countries to reimburse the United States for the costs it had previously incurred in providing military assistance and ammunition to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy’s strategy is to leverage this U.S. activity to push Moscow toward ending the conflict. He has briefed the envoys on the battlefield situation, including what he described as limited Russian gains achieved at the cost of heavy losses, as well as ongoing Russian strikes. Zelenskyy stated that they expect to see representatives of the US president in Kyiv and added that it is important for America to continue being active.
The urgency of the visit is underscored by the timing. Zelenskyy noted that September could bring about a lot of changes, signaling that the coming days are a critical window. A source familiar with the arrangements told Reuters that discussions over the Ukraine leg were still under way, with Sunday being considered as a possible date, while other reports suggest US negotiators are eyeing a September 6 trip to Kyiv for their first-ever visit to the Ukrainian capital.
