US Envoys Head to Russia and Ukraine to Revive Mediation Efforts

Washington’s negotiators are returning to the Russia-Ukraine diplomatic track, raising fresh hopes that stalled efforts to end the war could move again. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to visit Moscow and Kyiv over the weekend.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Thursday that U.S. negotiators would hold meetings in both capitals “in the coming days.” He said Ukraine was ready for substantive, high-level negotiations and stressed the importance of continued American involvement.

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They confirmed they will have a meeting in Moscow and another one in Kyiv. We expect the latter to take place in the coming days. This is very important. It is important that America remain actively engaged.

Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that Witkoff and Kushner would be in Moscow on Sept. 5 and 6. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later declined to confirm the reports. The two envoys were last in the Russian capital in January and have not previously visited Kyiv, according to the report.

Washington’s mediation efforts had largely stalled after the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran in March. Zelenskyy nevertheless welcomed the planned meetings. He said Ukraine’s negotiating team remained in near-constant contact with the U.S. side and was preparing for the talks.

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Reaching a long-term settlement can’t be expected without solving the territorial issue.

The return of the envoys comes after earlier criticism that Washington had adopted Russian narratives and demands, particularly the proposal that Kyiv surrender territory. Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov described the previous talks as constructive, but said a long-term settlement could not be reached without resolving the territorial question.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said negotiations were frozen. At an economic forum in Russia’s Far East on Thursday, however, he said countries including the United States and China were ready to support a peace deal. “We are grateful to everyone attempting to contribute to a settlement,” Putin said.

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We are grateful to everyone attempting to contribute to a settlement.