U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to visit Moscow and Kyiv this weekend, according to reports citing U.S. officials, as efforts to end the ongoing conflict appear to be gaining momentum.
The envoys, who have led former President Donald Trump's initiatives to broker a peace deal, are expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday in Moscow before holding talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday in Kyiv. This would mark the first visit to Ukraine by Witkoff and Kushner, who have made multiple trips to Russia.
Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko confirmed that the pair were expected in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday, following their visit to Moscow. Russia's state news agency Tass also reported that Witkoff and Kushner were expected to arrive in Moscow and then Kyiv between September 5th and 6th, quoting a source.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the potential contacts, stating that while he would not make any announcements, the public would be informed when such meetings take place.
President Zelensky had previously stated on Thursday that tentative dates had been set for the U.S. envoys' visit to Kyiv in the coming days. Earlier on Friday, Zelensky reported that a Russian drone struck the office of Ukraine's security chief Oleksandr Poklad in Kyiv. Poklad was reportedly unharmed, and Zelensky ordered him to respond adequately to the attack.
During an international economic forum on Thursday, Putin indicated that there were "chances" a peace deal could be reached, emphasizing that an agreement between Moscow and Kyiv was the primary requirement. However, he did not signal any departure from his maximalist demands, which include further territorial concessions from Ukraine. Kyiv and its European allies have consistently rejected these terms, viewing them as tantamount to capitulation.
Russia initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls approximately 20% of the country's territory.