Trump Envoys to Visit Moscow and Kyiv for War Talks
President Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will travel to Moscow and Kyiv this weekend to discuss ending the war. They will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to pursue diplomacy and a potential breakthrough in the conflict.
President Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will travel to Moscow and Kyiv this weekend for talks on ending the war. According to U.S. officials, they will bring a plan to end the war with them. On Friday, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Witkoff and Kushner are bringing a plan to end the war.
Witkoff and Kushner will travel on Friday, hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday, and then meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday. The visit comes 10 days after CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with the heads of the Russian intelligence and security services in Moscow. Ratcliffe was trying to learn whether the Russian intelligence chiefs could persuade Putin to pursue diplomacy with the goal of ending the war.
Ukrainian and U.S. officials said they've been discussing the Kyiv trip for months. In recent days, they said, the trip was on and off several times for different reasons before they settled on this weekend. Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine mediated by the Trump administration were paused in mid-February after the Iran war started. Witkoff and Kushner have held separate talks over the past few months with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators, but little progress has been made.
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What is the purpose of Witkoff and Kushner's trip to Moscow and Kyiv?
The purpose of their trip is to discuss ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. They will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to pursue diplomacy and a potential breakthrough in the conflict.
What plan will Witkoff and Kushner bring to the talks?
According to President Trump, Witkoff and Kushner will bring a plan to end the war with them. However, the details of the plan have not been disclosed.
How have Ukrainian officials reacted to the upcoming talks?
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. They have also agreed not to conduct airstrikes against Russia on Saturday to ensure the safe arrival of the U.S. envoys.
What is the current state of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine?
Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine mediated by the Trump administration were paused in mid-February after the Iran war started. Witkoff and Kushner have held separate talks over the past few months with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators, but little progress has been made.
What are the expectations for the talks between Witkoff, Kushner, and Zelensky?
Zelensky has said that Ukraine wants the talks with Kushner and Witkoff to be substantive. He noted that Ukraine will see what proposals Steve and Jared bring and what they are told in Moscow in response.
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