Zelenskyy proposes ceasefire with Russia ahead of US envoys’ Kyiv visit

US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia and Ukraine over the weekend, as efforts to end the war seem to be progressing. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced he will meet with the envoys on Sunday after they hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday. Witkoff and Kushner, who have been spearheading US President Donald Trump's attempts to broker a peace deal, will be the first to visit Ukraine as part of these efforts.

Earlier on Friday, Zelensky reported that a Russian drone struck the office of Ukraine's security chief Oleksandr Poklad in Kyiv, though Poklad is unharmed. He has ordered Poklad to respond appropriately to the attack. Witkoff and Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, have previously visited Russia multiple times, but these talks in Ukraine would be the first.

Zelensky assured the safety of Russian airspace during the envoy's visit and called for Russia to reciprocate for Ukraine. Russia's state news agency Tass reported that Witkoff and Kushner are expected to arrive in Moscow and Kyiv from September 5-6, according to a source. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the timing, stating that they will inform the public when these contacts occur.

Meanwhile, Putin stated at an international economic forum on Thursday that "there are chances" for a peace deal, but he reiterated his maximalist demands, which include additional territorial concessions from Ukraine. Ukraine and its European allies have consistently rejected Putin's terms, viewing them as equivalent to capitulation. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, currently controlling approximately 20% of its territory.