Zelenskyy says US mediators will travel to Kyiv on Sunday

US mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to arrive in Kyiv on Sunday after first visiting Moscow, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

“Today it was discussed that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will first visit Moscow and travel to Kyiv on Sunday,” Zelenskyy said in a video address. He added that Ukraine was preparing for the visit.

Zelenskyy said Kyiv would ensure the normal operation of Russian airspace during the trip, as it had done during previous diplomatic visits by US representatives. He said Ukraine would not launch airstrikes and that Russia should respond in the same way.

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Today it was discussed that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will first visit Moscow and travel to Kyiv on Sunday.

The US side had not officially confirmed the journey. Earlier, unconfirmed reports said Witkoff and Kushner planned to travel to Moscow on Saturday and Kyiv on Sunday. The New York Times, citing officials familiar with the diplomatic efforts, reported that the mediators were expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and then Zelenskyy.

The reported travel plans followed weeks of negotiations. According to the newspaper, Washington had sought a temporary halt to Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow and Russian energy infrastructure while the mediators were in Russia, while Russia would stop missile attacks on Kyiv. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to announce when the two men would arrive in Moscow, saying, “I will not announce anything. If these contacts take place, we will inform you.”

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I will not announce anything. If these contacts take place, we will inform you.