A private jet believed to be carrying Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, and special envoy Steve Witkoff has landed in Moscow. The arrival marks the latest effort by the U.S. to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump announced on Friday that the envoys were heading to Moscow and Kyiv to assess the possibility of progress toward peace. Axios reported that Kushner and Witkoff were scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday. The Kremlin has declined to comment on the visit.
Kushner and Witkoff, who have previously been involved in negotiations for ceasefires in Gaza and Iran, have made multiple trips to Moscow in past diplomatic endeavors. This marks their first visit to Kyiv since Trump returned to office last year with a pledge to resolve the conflict.
"They're bringing with them a proposal to end the war," Trump told reporters. He indicated that the plan was a U.S. initiative but did not specify if it involved Ukraine ceding territory, a point Trump has previously suggested.
The diplomatic push comes amidst continued fighting. Ukrainian President Zelensky reported that Russia carried out "deliberate" strikes on airports in Kyiv and Boryspil overnight. Zelensky suggested these strikes were a reaction to the potential U.S. visit.
"Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the U.S. side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine and land at Kyiv Airport or Boryspil Airport," Zelensky wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He added that Ukraine would adjust its operations regarding Russian airspace accordingly, stating it has become dangerous due to Ukrainian drones and missiles.
Zelensky also reported that four people were killed and five others injured in a Russian strike in Kamianske, in the Dnipro region. He proposed observing a ceasefire with Russia for the duration of the U.S. envoys' trip, but Russia had not immediately commented on the proposal.
Earlier, a Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in central Kyiv. Zelensky stated the attack directly targeted the office of the agency's acting chief, marking the first such strike on its headquarters since the invasion began.
Peace efforts have faced significant challenges, with stalled negotiations compounded by escalating long-range attacks from both Russia and Ukraine, leading to a rise in civilian casualties. These renewed diplomatic efforts follow a recent visit to Moscow by CIA Director John Ratcliffe and the U.S. hosting the Russian finance minister at a G20 gathering.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high as Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued threats against Britain, refusing to rule out targeting UK factories after London agreed to provide Ukraine with classified blueprints for long-range missiles.
President Trump has previously stated that Putin is not looking to attack NATO territory, despite a suspected Russian drone attack on a German airport that caused outrage across Europe. European security officials have suggested these incidents are part of Russia's hybrid warfare strategy.