Trump's Special Envoys Head to Moscow, Kyiv with Fresh Peace Plan

United States President Donald Trump announced on Friday his decision to dispatch special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to Moscow and Kyiv. Their mission is to present a new proposal aimed at bringing an end to the four-year-old conflict in Ukraine. This diplomatic move represents Washington's latest attempt to resolve the ongoing war, which commenced with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Reports indicate that Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday, before proceeding to Kyiv on Sunday for discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Kremlin has, however, declined to offer any comments regarding the planned visit.

Speaking to journalists from the Oval Office, President Trump conveyed optimism about the delegation's assignment. He stated, “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.” Trump further added that the envoys “are bringing with them a proposal to end the war.” When questioned about whether the peace proposal would involve Ukraine ceding territory, Trump chose not to provide specific details, simply asserting, “We have an idea for peace.”

This trip marks the first time Witkoff and Kushner will be visiting Kyiv since Trump assumed office again, having pledged to resolve the conflict. Both envoys have previously been involved in diplomatic efforts in Moscow, alongside facilitating ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and Iran.

This renewed diplomatic push comes amidst a noticeable increase in long-range missile and drone attacks between Russia and Ukraine. Just hours before President Trump's announcement, a Russian drone strike targeted the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service in central Kyiv. President Zelensky highlighted that the attack specifically hit the office of the agency's acting chief, marking the first direct strike on the SBU headquarters since the war began.

Following this strike, Zelensky put forward a temporary ceasefire proposal to cover the duration of the US delegation's visit. He declared in his evening address, “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.” Shortly after Zelensky's statement, authorities in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region reported that a Russian strike in the city of Kamianske resulted in four fatalities and five injuries. Moscow has yet to issue an official response to the ceasefire proposal.

This high-profile visit follows other recent diplomatic engagements, including a trip by CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow and the attendance of the Russian finance minister at a G20 meeting in North Carolina.