Trump Deploys Witkoff, Kushner For Ukraine Peace Push
US President Donald Trump has stepped up efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, sending his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv with a fresh proposal aimed at ending the conflict.
Trump announced the diplomatic mission on Friday, saying the two negotiators would travel to Russia and Ukraine to determine whether a breakthrough could be achieved after years of fighting.
A senior Ukrainian official confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner are expected in Kyiv on Sunday, while US media outlet Axios reported that they would first meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday before travelling to Kyiv for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump said the envoys were carrying an American proposal for peace but declined to disclose whether the plan would require Ukraine to surrender territory, an issue that has remained one of the major obstacles to previous negotiations.
The renewed diplomatic effort comes amid an escalation in attacks between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides continuing to launch missiles and drones against targets deep inside each other’s territory.
Zelensky said a Russian drone had struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service in central Kyiv shortly before Trump’s announcement. He subsequently called for a temporary ceasefire during the visit of the US envoys, asking Russia to reciprocate by halting airstrikes while the discussions are underway.
The Ukrainian president’s proposal came as fresh Russian attacks were reported elsewhere in the country, including a strike in the southeastern city of Kamianske that reportedly killed four people and injured five others.
Witkoff and Kushner have previously participated in US diplomatic efforts involving ceasefires in Gaza and Iran, while Witkoff has also made several trips to Moscow as part of Washington’s attempts to engage the Kremlin.
The latest initiative follows other recent US-Russia diplomatic contacts, including a visit to Moscow by CIA Director John Ratcliffe and the participation of Russia’s finance minister at a G20 meeting in North Carolina.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict began with Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has continued despite several rounds of diplomatic efforts.
AFP
