Witkoff Kushner Ukraine Peace Talks: 6 Major Developments This Weekend

Witkoff Kushner Ukraine peace talks moved forward this weekend as President Trump’s two special envoys arrived in Moscow on Saturday, carrying what Trump described as a new proposal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The trip marks a fresh attempt to restart negotiations that had stalled for months.

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to travel from Moscow to Kyiv afterward, which would be their first visit ever to the Ukrainian capital. The stop in Kyiv comes as the city continues to face near-constant Russian missile and drone strikes, though Russia’s government has now ordered a temporary pause in attacks on the capital tied to the visit.

Here’s what’s confirmed so far about the Witkoff Kushner Ukraine peace talks, why the timing is significant, and what officials on both sides are saying about the odds of a breakthrough.

What Happened This Weekend?

Witkoff and Kushner landed in Moscow on Saturday, according to Russian state media. Kirill Dmitriev, a special representative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, met them at Vnukovo airport, and Putin himself was expected to meet with the American delegation later in the day.

After their stop in the Russian capital, the two envoys are due to travel to Kyiv, marking the first time either has visited Ukraine’s capital in person. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he welcomed the planned visit, calling for negotiations with the American side to be as constructive and substantive as possible.

President Trump previewed the trip on Friday, telling reporters at the White House that Witkoff and Kushner were bringing along “a proposal to end the war.” He added that there may be a good chance the effort succeeds, while acknowledging the outcome remains uncertain.

A Temporary Pause on Strikes

In a notable move tied to the visit, the Kremlin announced that Putin had ordered a halt to strikes on Kyiv for three days, starting at midnight Saturday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the pause was connected with the preparation for and conduct of the Americans’ contacts in Kyiv.

Zelensky said separately that Ukraine would also halt its own airstrikes during the envoys’ visit and called on Russia to do the same. Even so, the run-up to the visit was not free of violence. Zelensky said two airports near Kyiv, including Boryspil, which used to handle international flights, were struck by Russian missiles just before the envoys’ arrival.

Zelensky suggested the timing of those strikes was not a coincidence. He said the attacks on the airports were a reaction to discussions and preparations regarding the possibility of American officials using an aircraft to arrive in Ukraine.

Why Witkoff Kushner Ukraine Peace Talks Matter Right Now

The visit comes at a moment of significant strain for Kyiv. The Ukrainian capital has faced near-constant Russian missile and drone strikes in recent weeks, including a direct hit on the Kyiv headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service, known as the SBU, on Friday. Zelensky has said Ukraine is dealing with an acute shortage of air defense interceptors, leaving the country more vulnerable to ballistic missile attacks.

Washington’s broader push to end the war, now in its fifth year, had lost significant momentum in recent months. Attention from Witkoff and Kushner had shifted toward the conflict involving Iran, which the two men were also working to help resolve, leaving the Ukraine negotiations largely on hold.

Restarting direct, in-person diplomacy – especially a first-ever visit to Kyiv – signals renewed attention from the White House at a moment when both sides have been escalating their aerial attacks on each other’s territory rather than de-escalating.

What Russian Officials Are Saying

While the visit itself represents a diplomatic opening, Russian officials have given little indication that Moscow is ready to make major concessions. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russian state media that Washington must take into account the realities on the ground.

That comment points to Russia’s continued position that shifts in the military situation, not just diplomatic pressure, should shape any settlement terms. Russian state media reported the specific dates of the visit before U.S. officials confirmed them publicly, and Moscow has generally kept its public comments cautious about the odds of a breakthrough.

What Ukrainian Officials Are Saying

Zelensky has been more publicly optimistic about the visit itself, even while stressing that a lasting resolution remains difficult to achieve. Earlier in the week, during his nightly address, Zelensky said Ukraine had received confirmation that meetings would take place in both Moscow and Kyiv, calling continued American involvement important.

He had previously said he spoke with Witkoff and Kushner earlier in the week to help finalize the timing of their visit to Ukraine. Zelensky has consistently framed the involvement of U.S. officials as a necessary piece of any credible path toward ending the war.

Timeline: How the Visit Came Together

• Earlier in the week: Zelensky says he spoke by phone with Witkoff and Kushner, describing the call as part of finalizing dates for a visit to Ukraine.
• Thursday: During his nightly address, Zelensky confirms that meetings in both Moscow and Kyiv are set to happen, calling continued U.S. involvement important.
• Friday: Trump tells reporters at the White House that Witkoff and Kushner are bringing a proposal to end the war. Russia’s SBU headquarters in Kyiv is struck in a direct hit. Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reports that the visits will happen over the weekend.
• Saturday: Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Moscow. The Kremlin announces a three-day pause on strikes against Kyiv tied to the visit. Zelensky says two airports near Kyiv, including Boryspil, are struck by Russian missiles shortly before the envoys’ arrival.
• Sunday (planned): Witkoff and Kushner are expected to travel to Kyiv for their first-ever visit to the Ukrainian capital.

Background: A Long, Difficult Path to Pease

Witkoff and Kushner have played central roles in the Trump administration’s broader diplomatic efforts well beyond Ukraine. Witkoff previously helped negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and both men have been involved in a range of foreign policy issues, including recent talks involving Iran.

Efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war go back months. Earlier rounds of talks, including meetings between Ukrainian negotiators and U.S. officials such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, produced discussion of a potential 30-day ceasefire deal, though no lasting agreement followed. Momentum on Ukraine diplomacy slowed further as U.S. attention shifted toward other international crises.

The war itself, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, is now in its fifth year. Both sides have continued to exchange attacks on infrastructure and territory throughout that time, even as periodic diplomatic efforts have attempted to bring the fighting to a close.

What Happens Next?

The most immediate next step is the planned visit to Kyiv, expected as soon as Sunday, which would give Witkoff and Kushner a firsthand look at conditions in the Ukrainian capital for the first time. How Ukrainian officials respond to the specifics of the American proposal will likely shape whether this round of diplomacy gains real traction.

Much also depends on how Russia responds once the three-day pause in strikes on Kyiv ends. Given Ryabkov’s comments about “realities on the ground,” Russian officials appear to be signaling that any settlement will need to reflect the current state of the battlefield rather than a return to prior boundaries.

For now, both sides have expressed at least conditional willingness to keep talking, but the underlying disagreements that have prevented a deal for years remain unresolved.