Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) welcomes US Special Envoys Steve Witkoff (R) and Jared Kushner (C) prior to their talks in Kyiv on September 6, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP Photo)
U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were in Kiev on Sept. 6 for their first visit to the Ukrainian capital, a day after discussed “substantive plans” with Russia’s Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on ending more than four years of war between the neighbors.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s business partner Witkoff and son-in-law Kushner had visited Moscow several times but had not held talks in Kiev, hit by deadly Russian strikes since 2022.
Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin on Sept. 5 to “advance President Trump’s agenda of peace in the Russia-Ukraine War,” a White House official said.
“The two sides discussed substantive plans for next steps, which will be announced in the coming weeks, and look forward to equally productive meetings tomorrow in Ukraine.”
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov called the talks “extremely frank”, saying the Americans “put forward a number of ideas on possible routes to a settlement,” but did not elaborate.
The Russian side told the Americans that Moscow was “confident” it could achieve its military goals of seizing the rest of eastern Ukraine, Ushakov added.
Both Russia and Ukraine have vowed not to strike each other’s capitals for three days to allow for the negotiations to take place.
In televised comments before the talks, Putin said Russia would ensure the safety of the envoys in Kiev, a city Moscow has pounded with deadly strikes throughout the war.
“We will do everything that depends on us to ensure the safety of the negotiation process and mediators such as yourselves,” Putin told Witkoff and Kushner.
Earlier on Sept. 5, Putin had thanked Trump for persisting in his efforts to end the war despite it being “not simple.”
Of the envoys’ trip to Kiev, he said: “No matter what happens next, contacts of this kind are undoubtedly always beneficial.”
Trump said on Sept. 4 his envoys were bringing a “proposal” to end fighting.
“We have an idea for peace,” he said, without elaborating.
U.S. efforts have so far not led to a breakthrough in the war, and peace efforts have stalled in part because of Washington’s war with Iran.
Russia occupied large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, and Putin has insisted Moscow is intent on seizing the rest of eastern Ukraine.
Both Moscow and Kiev committed to suspending strikes as the negotiations took place.
“The Russian president, the commander-in-chief, has given the order from midnight not to strike Kyiv for three days,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Zelensky said he had spoken to the U.S. envoys and also promised Kiev would not strike Moscow.
However, Kiev said that Russian strikes had killed 10 people across the country on Sept. 5, including a child and his family members in the Kharkiv region and two people outside Kiev.
Zelensky accused Moscow of trying to disrupt the visit of the U.S. envoys with overnight attacks on Kiev’s two airports, as well as on civilian targets.
