LONDON — President Donald Trump’s particular envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived within the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Sunday in a renewed White Home push for progress on ending Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor, now in its fifth 12 months.
The U.S. delegation traveled to Ukraine following talks in Moscow on Saturday, throughout which Witkoff and Kushner sat down with Russian President Vladimir Putin to debate what a White Home official instructed ABC Information have been “substantive plans for subsequent steps” on the trail towards a peace deal, regardless of few indicators peace is any nearer.
The go to to Kyiv by Witkoff and Kushner is their first in the course of the full-scale invasion. The pair have visited Russia a number of occasions in the course of the battle.
They arrived from Poland by prepare, earlier than being welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy exterior the historic Saint Sophia Cathedral within the heart of the capital. Zelenskyy embraced the 2 the lads earlier than main them contained in the cathedral.
Previous to their arrival, Zelenskyy wrote in a publish on X that he had met with Ukraine’s negotiating group and was anticipating a “substantive dialog” with the U.S. envoys.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) welcomes U.S. particular envoys Steve Witkoff (R) and Jared Kushner (C) in Kyiv on Sept. 6, 2026.
Genya Savilov/AFP through Getty Photos
“Ukraine has at all times been and can stay constructive. We’re fascinated about bringing the top of the conflict nearer. Peace is required. Safety ensures are wanted. A dignified character of the postwar peace is required. Our proposals are prepared,” he wrote in a publish to X.
The American negotiating pair spent greater than three hours with Putin within the Kremlin on Saturday, with U.S. and Russian officers each praising the discussions.
However Putin afterwards gave no signal of compromise. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov instructed the state-run Tass Information Company that Putin instructed Witkoff and Kushner that it was essential to eradicate “all root causes of the Ukrainian battle,” a phrase routinely utilized by officers in Moscow hinting at maximalist Russian calls for that Ukraine be pressured to simply accept neutrality, reduce down its navy and abandon any NATO aspirations.
Putin additionally “famous the successes of Russian forces” within the ongoing conflict effort “and expressed confidence in attaining its targets,” Ushakov stated.
Most consultants consider Putin’s place in latest weeks has solely hardened, with indicators he believes Russia is successful the conflict and is extra decided to make use of navy drive to attempt to drive concessions from Kyiv, together with by concentrating on its power system this winter.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes arms with Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, as U.S. Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff stands close by throughout a gathering on the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, September 5, 2026.
Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik, Pool through Reuters
Within the final two weeks, Russia has considerably intensified its air assaults on Kyiv, utilizing jet-powered drones to relentlessly terrorize the capital.
At the beginning of Saturday’s assembly, Witkoff thanked Putin for internet hosting the American delegation and famous the “unbelievable” tales and recollections that he, Kushner, Ushakov and Russian Direct Funding Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev may have after they retire. “Yours will likely be proper on the high of all of it,” Witkoff stated.
Witkoff additionally conveyed Trump’s greatest needs and thanked Putin on behalf of the Gilman household for serving to safe the return of Rob Gilman. Putin stated that the credit score belonged to Trump.
A White Home official instructed ABC Information that Kushner and Witkoff have been joined by officers from the Nationwide Safety Council, State Division and Treasury Division in the course of the discussions on “proposals to convey peace to this battle.”
Witkoff additional thanked Putin for supporting what he described as a brief “no-shoot” association round Kyiv and Moscow, which allowed the American delegation to journey safely to and from Russia.
U.S. particular envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrive at a railway station in Kyiv on Sept. 6, 2026.
Roman Pilipey/AFP through Getty Photos
Putin and Zelenskyy have each publicly stated they won’t strike every others capitals in the course of the American delegations visits. Whereas no Russian strikes struck Kyiv in a single day Saturday, drones have been reported to have focused the close by metropolis of Boryspil. Russian strikes continued in the remainder of Ukraine.
The Kremlin assembly did little to encourage Ukrainians, Oleksandr Merezhko — a member of the Ukrainian parliament and the chair of the physique’s international affairs committee — instructed ABC Information on Sunday.
“We expect Trump’s envoy however I haven’t got any hopes in any respect,” he stated from Kyiv. That is one thing that Trump does not perceive — Putin believes that there isn’t any manner again for him. He has dedicated so many crimes that, as he believes, he can save his pores and skin provided that Ukraine capitulates.”
Merezhko stated he was amongst these skeptical of Witkof and Kushner’s means to chart a path to a settlement, describing the pair as “amateurs with out crucial information and expertise.”
This handout {photograph} taken and launched by the Ukrainian State Emergency Service on Sept. 6, 2026 exhibits rescuers working on the website of a Russian strike in Kyiv area.
Handout/State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Each Russia and Ukraine continued long-range in a single day strikes. Ukraine’s air drive stated Russia launched 108 drones and an unspecified variety of cruise missiles into the nation in a single day into Sunday morning. Air defenses downed 82 drones and 6 cruise missiles, the air drive stated, with impacts reported throughout 11 areas.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported at the very least one assault within the Kyiv area, the place a Russian strike triggered a “large-scale hearth” at an infrastructure facility.
Russia’s Protection Ministry, in the meantime, stated its forces downed 258 Ukrainian drones in a single day, with craft reported shot down over 14 Russian areas, occupied Crimea, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
