US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, are traveling to Moscow and Kyiv with a proposal to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a conflict now in its fifth year. The mission marks a renewed U.S. push for diplomacy amid intensifying drone warfare targeting Kyiv’s security infrastructure.
The envoys, who previously met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in January, will first visit Moscow before heading to Ukraine on September 6, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy announced Ukraine will suspend airstrikes during negotiations, urging Moscow to reciprocate for safe talks. Russian officials have not confirmed the envoy visits, with Putin describing negotiations as 'frozen.'
A Russian drone strike on Ukraine’s domestic security service headquarters in Kyiv on Friday escalated tensions, prompting Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to label it a 'major escalation' during renewed peace efforts. Ukraine has retaliated with drone attacks on Russian oil facilities and retail chains, signaling asymmetric responses to targeted strikes.
Disagreement persists over the envoys’ itinerary, with sources noting uncertainty about the Kyiv leg of the journey despite initial plans. While Trump asserts a 'concrete proposal' exists, he provided no details, leaving markets and analysts to gauge the likelihood of a breakthrough versus further escalation in energy and defense sectors.