US President Donald Trump has launched a fresh diplomatic push to end the war in Ukraine, sending special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv with a new peace proposal.
Trump announced the mission on Friday as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continued to intensify, with both sides carrying out long-range missile and drone attacks. The conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has now entered its fifth year.
Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday for talks with Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, before their expected trip to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that the US envoys are expected in the Ukrainian capital as Washington attempts to revive stalled negotiations.
Trump’s new peace proposal
READ ALSO: Serena and Venus Williams Knocked Out of US Open After Dramatic 5–0 Tiebreak Collapse
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump described Witkoff and Kushner as “great negotiators” and said he had sent them to determine whether meaningful progress could be achieved.
“They’re bringing with them a proposal to end the war,” Trump said.
The US president did not reveal the details of the proposal. When asked whether the plan would require Ukraine to surrender territory, Trump declined to provide a direct answer, saying only that the United States had “an idea for peace.”
The lack of detail has left major questions about what Washington is asking Moscow and Kyiv to accept, particularly on the difficult issue of territory and Ukraine’s future security arrangements. Previous US-backed diplomatic efforts have struggled to overcome disagreements between the two sides.
Witkoff and Kushner head to Moscow
The latest mission represents another attempt by the Trump administration to restart negotiations after diplomatic efforts lost momentum in recent months.
Witkoff has previously traveled to Moscow several times as part of US efforts to establish dialogue with the Kremlin. Kushner, meanwhile, has participated in Trump’s diplomatic initiatives in other international conflicts.
Their current mission is particularly significant because it includes a planned visit to Kyiv, marking their first trip to the Ukrainian capital in their current diplomatic roles.
The Kremlin initially declined to comment on the reported visit, while Ukrainian officials said they were preparing for discussions with the American delegation.
Zelenskyy calls for temporary ceasefire
The diplomatic initiative comes against a backdrop of continued attacks.
Hours before Trump’s announcement, a Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service, known as the SBU, in central Kyiv.
Zelenskyy described the strike as a major escalation and said the attack targeted the office of the agency’s acting chief. Ukrainian officials said the incident was one of the most significant attacks on the security agency’s headquarters since Russia’s invasion.
Despite the attack, Zelenskyy proposed a temporary halt to airstrikes while the American delegation carried out its diplomatic mission.
“There will be no airstrikes on our part,” Zelenskyy said, calling on Russia to reciprocate for the duration of the talks.
The proposal was aimed at creating a safer environment for the US envoys as they traveled between Moscow and Kyiv.
By September 5, both Russia and Ukraine had announced temporary pauses affecting strikes on their respective capitals during the diplomatic mission. Putin ordered a three-day pause in military activity against Kyiv, while Zelenskyy announced a reciprocal halt in strikes on Moscow.
Fighting continues despite peace efforts
The diplomatic developments have come as Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange attacks across the front line and deep inside each other’s territory.
A Russian strike in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region also killed civilians, highlighting the difficult circumstances surrounding the latest negotiations. At the same time, Ukraine has continued carrying out attacks against Russian military and economic targets.
The continuing violence underscores the challenge facing Witkoff and Kushner as they attempt to persuade both sides to return to substantive negotiations.
Russia has previously insisted that any lasting settlement must address the territorial question, while Ukraine has rejected demands that would require it to surrender territory. Those fundamental disagreements remain among the biggest obstacles to a comprehensive peace agreement.
A difficult diplomatic test for Trump
The latest initiative is also a major test of Trump’s repeated promise to bring the Ukraine war to an end.
The US president has pushed for a negotiated settlement, but previous attempts have failed to produce a lasting agreement. Washington now hopes that direct engagement with both Moscow and Kyiv can create a new opening.
The mission follows a recent visit to Moscow by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who was involved in efforts to encourage Russia toward a diplomatic resolution. The United States has also maintained contact with Russian officials through wider international engagements.
For now, the details of Trump’s proposal remain largely undisclosed.
However, the temporary pauses in attacks and the high-level meetings in Moscow and Kyiv represent a potentially important moment for diplomacy.
Whether Witkoff and Kushner can bridge the deep differences between Russia and Ukraine remains uncertain. But with the war continuing to exact a heavy human and economic cost, Trump’s latest peace initiative could become one of Washington’s most consequential attempts yet to bring the conflict to an end.
Reuters – Trump sends Witkoff and Kushner to Russia and Ukraine
