Trump Sends Envoys to Moscow and Kyiv with Plan to End Ukraine War

Donald Trump is sending Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv with what he described as a proposal to end the war in Ukraine. The move represents Washington’s latest attempt to break a diplomatic stalemate in Europe’s deadliest conflict since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.

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I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators. They've done a great job, and we sent them over to see whether or not we can get something done. And there may be a good chance that we'll do it.

A senior Ukrainian official told AFP that the envoys were due in Kyiv on Sunday. Axios reported that they would first meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday, followed by a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. The Kremlin declined to comment on the schedule.

Trump said the two negotiators would assess whether progress toward peace was possible. He did not say whether the plan required Ukraine to surrender territory, as he has previously suggested, but said the envoys were carrying “a proposal to end the war” and that the United States had “an idea for peace.” He also said there “may be a good chance” of reaching an agreement.

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They're bringing with them a proposal to end the war.

The trip will mark Witkoff and Kushner’s first visit to war-torn Kyiv since Trump returned to office with a pledge to resolve the conflict. Both men have participated in talks over ceasefires in Gaza and Iran, and Witkoff has made repeated trips to Moscow during previous diplomatic efforts.

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We have an idea for peace.

The renewed initiative comes as the war continues to grind on. Russia and Ukraine have stepped up missile and drone attacks, with civilian casualties rising to levels not seen since the fighting began. Hours before Trump’s announcement, Zelensky said a Russian drone struck the SBU headquarters in central Kyiv, apparently targeting the office of the agency’s acting chief. He proposed that Ukraine halt airstrikes during the envoys’ visit and said Russia should reciprocate. Russia did not immediately respond. Later, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration said a Russian strike killed four people and wounded five in Kamianske.

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There will be no airstrikes on our part, and Russia must reciprocally ensure a ceasefire, without its own airstrikes, for the duration needed to conduct these talks.