US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Kyiv on September 6, 2026, for their first visit to the Ukrainian capital. They were met by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at St. Sophia's Cathedral. This visit follows their talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, as part of President Donald Trump's initiative to mediate an end to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing for four and a half years.
Prior to their arrival in Kyiv, Kushner and Witkoff met with President Putin in Moscow on September 5, 2026. The discussions were described as "constructive, extremely frank" by Putin's adviser Yuri Ushakov, lasting over three hours. Topics included the Ukrainian crisis, economic issues, and potential Russian-American projects. Both Russia and Ukraine agreed to a three-day halt on aerial attacks on their respective capitals to facilitate these diplomatic efforts, although broader ceasefires were not in place.
The renewed peace efforts come amid intensified aerial attacks by both sides. Ukraine has been struggling with a shortage of interceptor missiles, impacting its ability to defend against Russian bombardments, particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Russia, meanwhile, has continued to control about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory seized in 2022. The envoys are hoping for "equally productive meetings" in Kyiv after their Moscow talks, with an announcement of substantive next steps expected in the coming weeks.
