US President Donald Trump has sent special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, on a diplomatic mission to Moscow and Kiev, with the aim of advancing efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump said the two American negotiators are traveling with a peace proposal. “They are bringing with them a proposal to end the war,” the US president said, without giving details on the content of the plan.
According to the reported plan, Witkoff and Kushner are expected to meet with Russian officials in Moscow first and then travel to Kiev. This will be their first visit to the Ukrainian capital, as both have previously held meetings in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The diplomatic mission comes at a time when fighting has intensified. On Friday, a Russian drone strike hit the headquarters of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in central Kiev, causing casualties and injuries.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine is ready to suspend air strikes on Russia during the visit of US envoys. He has called on Moscow to take the same measure and stop attacks on Ukraine during the negotiations.
However, the path to an agreement remains difficult. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine give up territories claimed by Moscow and its goal of NATO membership, while Kiev rejects these demands, considering them unacceptable.
Under these conditions, Witkoff and Kushner’s mission is seen as a new attempt by the Trump administration to revive negotiations and find a path towards ending the war, but it is not yet clear whether the parties will be willing to compromise. /Telegraph