US Envoys Arrive in Moscow Ahead of Ukraine Talks
Two of U.S. President Donald Trump's top envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, have arrived in Moscow, setting the stage for a weekend of pivotal talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. They are due to travel to Kyiv on Sunday for discussions with Ukrainian leaders.
Trump announced that the pair were carrying a proposal to end the conflict, yet previous efforts from the U.S. and its allies have not yielded significant progress. Both Russia and Ukraine have agreed to halt strikes on each other's capital cities for three days during the delegation's visit.
In a statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed his conversation with the envoys and noted that "the plan for tomorrow's diplomatic engagements in Kyiv... has been approved." He added that Ukraine was prepared to cease strikes on Moscow while expecting Russia to do the same regarding Kyiv.
Russian state media reported that President Vladimir Putin had ordered a three-day pause in strikes on Kyiv due to the U.S. visit. Photos showed Kushner and Witkoff being greeted by Russian official Kirill Dmitriev upon their arrival at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport.
According to Axios, the envoys will meet separately with both Putin and Zelensky. This marks their first trip to Ukraine for direct talks.
Previous Ukrainian delegations have traveled to the U.S. for negotiations over the past 18 months, while Russia has continued its invasion launched in February 2022. On Saturday, Zelensky noted "demonstrative" strikes on Kyiv and Boryspil airports ahead of his planned meeting with U.S. representatives.