President Donald Trump is sending two of his most trusted representatives to Russia and Ukraine this weekend as his administration launches a renewed effort to bring the years-long war closer to an end.
Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to travel first to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin before heading to Kyiv for discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump confirmed Friday that the two men are carrying a new U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war.
The high-stakes diplomatic mission comes as Russia and Ukraine intensify attacks and remain sharply divided over the conditions necessary for a peace agreement.
Trump Sends Envoys to Meet Putin
Witkoff and Kushner are expected to meet Putin in Moscow on Saturday as the Trump administration attempts to restart negotiations that have struggled to produce a lasting breakthrough.
Trump said the American representatives would bring a proposal designed to move the conflict toward an end, although he did not publicly disclose the details.
That leaves major questions about what Washington will ask from Moscow and Kyiv — and whether either side is prepared to compromise on the issues that have repeatedly stalled negotiations.
The trip puts Witkoff and Kushner at the center of Trump’s latest diplomatic effort.
Both men have previously traveled to Moscow during negotiations surrounding the conflict. A visit to Kyiv, however, would mark an important new step in their diplomatic mission.
Zelensky Confirms Kyiv Meeting
After meeting Russian officials, the American delegation is expected to travel to Kyiv for talks with Zelensky on Sunday.
Zelensky confirmed the planned visit Friday and said Ukraine is preparing for substantive discussions with the Americans.
The Ukrainian president said his government wants to examine the proposals Witkoff and Kushner bring with them, as well as learn how Russian officials responded during their discussions in Moscow.
The objective, according to Zelensky, is to search for realistic ways of moving the war toward a conclusion.
Ukraine also offered to suspend airstrikes while the American negotiators are traveling to Russia and called on Moscow to provide a similar pause while the delegation is in Ukraine.
That security issue has taken on greater importance as attacks around Kyiv continue.
New Peace Proposal Remains Under Wraps
Trump has confirmed the existence of a new peace proposal, but its specific terms have not been publicly released.
That could make the meetings with Putin and Zelensky particularly significant.
Russia and Ukraine remain separated by fundamental disagreements over territory, security and the conditions of any lasting settlement.
Putin has maintained territorial demands that Ukraine has rejected. Kyiv has argued that any agreement must protect Ukrainian sovereignty and provide sufficient security against future attacks.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged that diplomatic contacts are continuing but indicated that the conditions necessary for a final settlement have not yet emerged.
Despite those obstacles, the latest American mission suggests the Trump administration believes another diplomatic effort is worth pursuing.
Fighting Intensifies Before Peace Talks
The meetings are taking place against an increasingly dangerous backdrop.
Russia has continued missile and drone attacks against Ukraine, including strikes on Kyiv and other locations. Ukraine has responded with long-range attacks against Russian energy infrastructure, including oil storage and refining facilities.
A Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service in Kyiv on Friday, according to Ukrainian officials, underscoring the security challenges surrounding the planned diplomatic visit.
The continued fighting demonstrates just how difficult reaching an agreement could be.
Even as American negotiators prepare to meet both governments, military operations continue and neither side has publicly accepted the other’s central demands.
Trump Administration Renews Diplomatic Push
The mission also follows a recent visit to Moscow by CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
That visit, combined with the Witkoff-Kushner mission, points to increased diplomatic activity by Washington as the Trump administration searches for a possible opening in the conflict.
Trump has made ending the Russia-Ukraine war a major foreign-policy objective.
Witkoff has become one of Trump’s most visible international negotiators, while Kushner has returned to a diplomatic role after serving as a senior White House adviser during Trump’s first administration.
Sending the pair directly from Moscow to Kyiv would give the Americans an opportunity to hear the positions of Putin and Zelensky within a short period of time.
It could also allow the Trump administration to determine whether enough common ground exists to justify another round of negotiations.
Can Trump’s Latest Peace Effort Break the Deadlock?
The biggest question is whether Russia and Ukraine are prepared to make the concessions necessary for an agreement.
Previous negotiations have repeatedly run into the same fundamental disagreements, particularly over Ukrainian territory and long-term security arrangements.
Those differences have not disappeared.
But direct meetings between Trump’s representatives and the leaders of both countries could provide Washington with a clearer picture of what each government might accept.
The weekend could therefore become an important test for Trump’s latest attempt to restart peace negotiations.
If the Moscow and Kyiv meetings move forward as planned, Witkoff and Kushner will have the difficult task of carrying Washington’s proposal directly between two governments that remain at war.
Whether that produces a breakthrough is unknown.
For now, the Trump administration is making another major diplomatic push — and the outcome of the meetings in Moscow and Kyiv could determine whether negotiations gain new momentum or remain stalled.