Trump sends envoys to Russia, Ukraine with new peace plan

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would travel to Moscow and Kyiv to propose an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. This marks Washington's latest attempt to break the diplomatic deadlock in Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

A senior Ukrainian official confirmed the envoys were set to arrive in Kyiv on Sunday, with the aim of meeting both Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday. Trump stated that the negotiators would evaluate the potential for progress towards peace. However, peace efforts have been hindered by ongoing hostilities between the US and Iran, as well as intensified long-range attacks by Russia and Ukraine, leading to a surge in civilian casualties.

Trump did not disclose whether the proposed plan would entail Ukraine ceding territory, as he has previously suggested, but added that his team had an idea for a peaceful resolution. Witkoff and Kushner, who have previously negotiated ceasefires in Gaza and Iran, have visited Kyiv multiple times since President Trump returned to office last year with a commitment to resolving the conflict.

The renewed diplomatic push coincides with Russia and Ukraine engaging in long-range missile and drone attacks. Shortly before Trump's announcement, a Russian drone targeted Ukraine's SBU security service headquarters in central Kyiv, killing one person. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, called for a ceasefire during the US envoys' visit, stating that Russia must also refrain from air strikes.

Later that day, Kamianske, a southeastern Ukrainian city, suffered a Russian strike that resulted in four deaths and five injuries. Zelensky had previously warned that Russian airspace would become "completely unsafe" due to Ukrainian drone activity while the war persists. Witkoff and Kushner's mission follows a rare visit to Moscow by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who cautioned Russia against any attacks on NATO member states.

The United States has also welcomed the Russian finance minister at a G20 meeting in North Carolina.