Trump envoys to visit Russia and Ukraine as peace efforts gain momentum

Photo Courtesy: BBC NEWS

U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are set to visit Russia and Ukraine this weekend as efforts to end the war appear to be gaining momentum.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet the envoys on Sunday, after their planned talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday. U.S. President Donald Trump said the two are carrying a proposal aimed at ending the war.

The visits come as a wide gap remains between Moscow and Kyiv. Witkoff and Kushner have made several trips to Russia, but this would be their first visit to Ukraine as part of the peace efforts.

Zelensky said he would guarantee the safety of Russian airspace during the envoys’ visit and urged Moscow to provide the same security for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, fighting continues despite the diplomatic push. Zelensky said a Russian drone struck the office of Ukraine’s security chief in Kyiv, while authorities in Dnipropetrovsk reported that a Russian strike on Kamianske killed four people and wounded five others.

Putin has said there are “chances” for a peace deal, but he continues to demand significant territorial concessions from Ukraine. Kyiv and its European allies have rejected those conditions, arguing they would amount to capitulation.

The planned visits come as Washington seeks to bridge the deep differences between Russia and Ukraine, with the outcome of the latest talks likely to test whether a negotiated settlement is within reach.