US Envoys Witkoff and Kushner Visit Ukraine to Discuss Peace Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine, on September 6, 2026, for their first visit to discuss peace talks amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war. The envoys traveled by train after Russian strikes prevented their arrival by flight. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed them and emphasized the need for security guarantees and a dignified postwar peace. The visit followed a meeting between the envoys and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, which both sides described as substantive. Zelensky stated, 'The negotiations have begun,' and mentioned that proposals from Ukraine were ready. National security advisors from Germany, France, and the U.K. were also expected to participate in the discussions. A key focus of the talks was Ukraine's winter needs, as the country anticipates further Russian strikes against its energy infrastructure. The envoys were greeted at the railway station by top Ukrainian officials, including Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov and parliamentary leader David Arakhamia. Witkoff remarked positively about the trip, despite previous reluctance to travel by rail. The envoys' arrival was coordinated with an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to refrain from aerial strikes against each other's capitals during the visit, although Moscow rejected a broader ceasefire. Russian forces conducted strikes across multiple regions in Ukraine on the same day, but no hits were reported in Kyiv itself. The ongoing negotiations have faced challenges, with Moscow demanding territorial concessions from Kyiv, particularly regarding the Donbas region and NATO membership aspirations. A White House official indicated that substantive plans for next steps would be announced in the coming weeks.