Exclusive: Trump envoys' first Kyiv trip thrown into doubt after Witkoff 'gets scared'
"The Russians don't want them to come here to Kyiv, and Witkoff is always sensitive to Russian sentiment," a person familiar with the matter said. "They're being told there that it's dangerous."
U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were set to embark on their first visit to Ukraine on September 5-6, according to a news report. However, Witkoff's fear of Russia's influence led to a reassessment of their plans, as per a source familiar with the situation. Russian officials have expressed reluctance to host the U.S. diplomats in Kyiv, citing safety concerns.
This development comes in the wake of a series of Russian drone strikes on Kyiv, which have been ongoing since September 3. President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner had expressed interest in visiting Ukraine. The U.S. envoys have a history of frequent trips to Moscow to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine's leaders have expressed a desire for the United States to remain active in the region. Originally, Witkoff and Kushner had planned to visit Ukraine in early August, but their trip was postponed due to Trump's preference for keeping the diplomats close to home, amid ongoing tensions with Iran.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
