President Donald Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Moscow on Saturday and visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday. The diplomatic mission carries a peace proposal aimed at ending the ongoing war, backed by expectations from Washington.
Diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict in Ukraine entered a new phase as Washington dispatched a negotiating team. United States President Donald Trump confirmed during a White House press briefing that his special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are carrying a proposal designed to bring the hostilities to a close.
The upcoming itinerary places the American delegation in Moscow on Saturday before they travel onward to the Ukrainian capital on Sunday. While Russian authorities in the Kremlin have not publicly confirmed the itinerary according to reporting by Axios cited in regional media, Ukrainian leadership verified the schedule late in the week. President Trump expressed optimism about the weekend’s prospects, telling reporters that his administration is sending the delegation to see if we can get something done.
Ceasefire Measures and the Kyiv Itinerary
The mission marks a shift in American diplomatic outreach. Although the special envoys have traveled to Moscow on multiple prior occasions to discuss potential peace frameworks, the upcoming talks in Kyiv represent their first visit to the Ukrainian capital since Donald Trump assumed office for his second term in January 2025.
To give the negotiations a chance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a temporary halt to airstrikes targeting Russian territory.
We care about them, not Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, via Epochtimes
Zelenskyy urged Moscow to match the suspension of airstrikes during the duration of Witkoff and Kushner’s diplomatic mission.
International Coordination and Regional Support
European leaders are engaging with the diplomatic push as the weekend meetings approach. Finnish President Alexander Stubb reported holding a constructive phone conversation with Zelenskyy to discuss both the peace initiative and the arrival of the American envoys.
Writing on the social media platform X, Stubb confirmed Finland’s ongoing commitment to supporting Ukraine and the broader peace process.
What Remains Uncertain
Despite the backing from Washington and optimism from the White House, questions remain regarding how Moscow will officially receive the American proposal. The Kremlin’s initial silence on the visit leaves open whether Russian leadership is prepared to engage seriously with the terms carried by Witkoff and Kushner. Whether the temporary pause in airstrikes can hold across the front lines will depend heavily on signals sent from Moscow as the envoys touch down.
