Trump Sends Witkoff and Kushner on High-Stakes Mission to Moscow
President Trump's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow on Saturday to push for an end to the war in Ukraine. This marks their first visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, since the conflict began in 2022. According to Associated Press, the pair met with Russian officials to present a fresh proposal for peace.
The White House sent these two men to Russia with a clear goal in mind. Per Fox News, a White House official stated the trip aims to "advance President Trump's agenda of peace in the Russia-Ukraine War." The envoys spent more than three hours talking with Russian President Vladimir Putin inside the Kremlin. NBC News reported that Putin told Witkoff the delegation had been reflecting on how these talks could create lasting memories for both sides.
President Trump spoke highly of his team before they left. "I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators," he told reporters on Friday. He added that there may be a good chance they can get something done. ABC News reported that Moscow told Washington it still believes it can reach its military objectives in eastern Ukraine.
🇺🇸🇷🇺 Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have left the Russian airport and are heading to Moscow.
They were met at the airport by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev. pic.twitter.com/BjCS3RdldS
— Lenka White (@white_lenka) September 5, 2026
Both Russia and Ukraine agreed to pause strikes on each other's capitals for three days. This truce allows the negotiations to happen without immediate danger to the cities. Breitbart noted that the American envoys arrived in Kyiv by train on Sunday after their talks in Moscow. Outside the historic Saint Sophia Cathedral, they received a welcome from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said his country is ready for the conversation. "Ukraine has always been and will remain constructive," he wrote in a post on X. He emphasized that security guarantees and a dignified postwar peace are needed. Associated Press noted a CBS piece indicating this journey is the first visit to Ukraine by these envoys since the president returned to office.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described the talks as extremely frank and useful. He stated that the Americans presented several concepts regarding potential paths toward a settlement. Fox News stated that both sides talked about concrete plans for future steps to be revealed over the next few weeks. The envoys have already made eight visits to Moscow during the war but had never held talks in Kyiv before this weekend.
During the G7 Summit in June, President Trump expressed regret that huge numbers of people were dying each month. He has now sent his team to see whether or not they can stop the bloodshed. NBC News indicated that Putin made no public indication of shifting from his earlier harsh demands during the meeting. The focus now shifts to whether these new proposals can bridge the gap between the two nations.
