By Sandra Kenneth
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is dispatching envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv with a fresh diplomatic proposal aimed at ending the four-year war in Ukraine.
The high-stakes mission represents Washington’s latest effort to break a prolonged stalemate in Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. According to reports from U.S. outlet Axios, Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday before traveling to Kyiv on Sunday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators… to see whether or not we can get something done,” Trump told reporters, adding that the envoys are carrying a formal proposal to end the war. While Trump declined to specify if the terms require Ukraine to cede territory, he noted, “We have an idea for peace.”
The diplomatic trip—marking the pair’s first visit to Kyiv since Trump returned to office—comes amid a sharp escalation in long-range missile and drone strikes between Russia and Ukraine. Just hours prior to Trump’s announcement, a Russian drone hit the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service in central Kyiv, marking the first direct strike on the agency’s building since the 2022 invasion began.
In response to the diplomatic push, President Zelensky proposed a temporary ceasefire covering the duration of the U.S. envoys’ visit, offering to pause Ukrainian airstrikes if Russia reciprocates. Moscow has not yet formally commented on the ceasefire proposal or the upcoming meetings.
