US President Donald Trump has revived efforts to end the war in Ukraine by sending Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv with a new peace proposal.
Trump announced the diplomatic mission on Friday. He said the two envoys would assess whether Russia and Ukraine could make progress toward an agreement.
The initiative comes as the war enters its fifth year and fighting continues to intensify.
Witkoff and Kushner Arrive in Moscow
Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday for talks with Russian officials.
Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev met the American delegation after its arrival. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin planned to meet the two US envoys.
The delegation is expected to travel to Kyiv after its Moscow meetings. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that the pair will visit the Ukrainian capital on Sunday.
It will mark their first visit to Kyiv since Trump returned to the White House.
Trump Says Envoys Carry a Peace Proposal
Trump has not revealed the full details of the proposal.
However, he said the envoys were taking a plan aimed at ending the war. He also expressed optimism that the diplomatic effort could produce progress.
The US president did not say whether the proposal would require Ukraine to give up territory. That issue remains one of the biggest obstacles to a settlement.
Russia and Ukraine continue to hold sharply different positions on territory, security guarantees and Ukraine’s future relationship with NATO.
Russia and Ukraine Face Deep Divisions
Despite repeated diplomatic efforts, Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart.
Russia has continued to demand major territorial concessions from Ukraine. Kyiv, meanwhile, has rejected any settlement that would formally surrender Ukrainian territory.
As a result, Washington faces a difficult task in trying to bridge the gap.
The latest US initiative also comes after months of stalled negotiations and continued attacks from both sides.
Fighting Intensifies Ahead of Talks
The diplomatic push comes as Russia and Ukraine continue heavy missile and drone attacks.
A Russian drone recently struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service in central Kyiv, according to Zelensky. The attack added further tension ahead of the American delegation’s visit.
Zelensky then proposed a temporary halt to airstrikes during the envoys’ trip.
He said Ukraine would stop its own airstrikes and urged Russia to take the same step.
Russia has since ordered a temporary pause in strikes on Kyiv during the US envoys’ visit. The Kremlin said the pause would last for three days and begin at midnight.
Civilian Casualties Continue to Rise
Despite the diplomatic activity, fighting has not stopped across Ukraine.
Russian strikes have continued to hit Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Ukrainian forces have also launched attacks against targets inside Russia.
Recent attacks have caused civilian deaths and injuries, underscoring the difficulty of securing a lasting ceasefire.
The continued violence has increased pressure on Washington to find a diplomatic breakthrough.
US Pushes for a New Diplomatic Opening
Witkoff and Kushner have already played roles in Trump’s diplomatic efforts in other conflicts.
Both have travelled to Moscow several times during earlier attempts to advance negotiations. Their latest mission now places them at the center of Washington’s renewed Ukraine peace initiative.
The timing is significant because the war has entered another dangerous phase.
For now, however, the details of Trump’s proposal remain closely guarded.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus will be on Witkoff and Kushner’s meeting with Putin in Moscow.
Afterward, their planned trip to Kyiv will bring the proposal directly to Zelensky’s government.
The success of the mission will depend largely on whether Washington can narrow the gap between Moscow and Kyiv.
For Trump, the trip represents another attempt to turn his promise of ending the Ukraine war into a diplomatic agreement.
For Ukraine and Russia, however, major disagreements remain.
Therefore, while the latest mission could reopen negotiations, a final peace agreement remains far from certain.
