US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Moscow to meet with Putin and then made a first-ever visit to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian officials as part of a new push to end the war in Ukraine.
President Donald Trump's envoys arrived in Russia on Saturday to work on ending the ongoing war with Ukraine, according to Breitbart. Fox News reported that Trump told reporters, "We have an idea for peace. I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators."1 Fox News also reported that Trump added, "They've done a great job, and we sent them over to see whether or not we can get something done. And there may be a good chance that we'll do it."1 BBC News (US & Canada) reported that Trump, when asked about the visits, said, "They are bringing with them a proposal to end the war."2
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Russian leader promised to pause attacks on Kyiv during Witkoff and Kushner's upcoming visit to Ukraine.
BBC News reported that Kremlin adviser Ushakov said "note was made of the Russian army's tangible advances in the combat zone"2 and that there was acknowledgement that talks needed to address "the root causes of the conflict."2 BBC News also reported that Ukrainian officials claim that in August they gained more territory than they lost and that Russia suffered 42,000 casualties, dead or wounded.
Al Jazeera English reported that the trip by Witkoff and Kushner came after a Russian air campaign battered Kyiv for 10 consecutive days, killing at least 53 people. Al Jazeera English also reported that the Trump administration has faced criticism for seeking to end the war in Ukraine without fully involving Ukrainian and European officials.
Axios reported that Ukrainian officials are highly skeptical of Putin's intentions and say they have intelligence that suggests Putin is planning a major escalation of the war.
After the roughly three-day pause ended, Russia resumed strikes on Kyiv, killing at least two people. Trump and Putin later held a phone call described by the Kremlin as extremely frank, in which Trump said US-Russia ties could be fully restored with a swift end to the war.
