US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Russia and Ukraine this weekend to support President Donald Trump’s push for a peace agreement, as both sides prepare for talks that could shape the next steps in the war.
Zelensky Confirms Meeting on Sunday
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he will meet the envoys on Sunday. He said the pair will first go to Moscow on Saturday to hold discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Witkoff and Kushner have already led US efforts to broker a deal on behalf of Trump, but the planned meetings in Ukraine are their first there.
Trump said the envoys were bringing a proposal intended to end the war when asked by reporters about their travel.
Moscow Visit, Then Kyiv
Russia’s state news agency Tass said Witkoff and Kushner were expected to arrive in Moscow and then in Kyiv on 5-6 September, citing a source.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later told reporters that he would not announce details, adding that Russia would inform them when the contacts take place.
Zelensky said Ukraine would guarantee the safety of Russian airspace during the envoys’ visit, and called on Russia to provide the same assurance for Ukraine.
Drone Attack in Kyiv
Earlier on Friday, Zelensky said a Russian drone struck the office of Oleksandr Poklad, Ukraine’s security chief, in Kyiv. Zelensky said Poklad appeared to be unharmed.
In a social media post, Zelensky said he had instructed Poklad, who heads Ukraine’s SBU security service, to respond “adequately” to the attack.
Putin Says a Deal Is Possible, But Demands Remain
Putin told an international economic forum on Thursday that there are “chances” of reaching a peace deal. He said Moscow and Kyiv must agree between themselves first.
However, Putin made clear he was not retreating from demands he has previously set out, which include further territorial concessions from Ukraine. Kyiv and European allies have repeatedly rejected those terms, saying they amount to surrender.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
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5 September 2026
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