Trump's peace envoys to visit Moscow and Kyiv over weekend

What Happened

US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to travel to Moscow on Saturday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, followed by a visit to Kyiv on Sunday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. President Donald Trump stated the envoys are carrying a proposal intended to end the war. Separately, President Zelensky reported that a Russian drone struck the office of SBU security service chief Oleksandr Poklad in Kyiv on Friday; President Zelensky stated that Oleksandr Poklad was unharmed and has been ordered to respond to the strike.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The visit marks a high-level attempt by the incoming US administration to initiate direct negotiations to end the full-scale invasion, which has resulted in Russia controlling approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory. The diplomatic effort faces significant challenges due to the stark divergence between Russian maximalist demands and the Ukrainian government's rejection of terms it views as capitulation.

Watch For

The outcome of the meetings on 5-6 September and any subsequent statements from the Kremlin or the Zelenskyy administration regarding the specific contents of the US peace proposal.