Witkoff, Kushner arrive in Ukraine after Putin talks in push for peace

White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner traveled to Ukraine on Sunday, following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Their mission was to discuss a proposal aimed at ending the ongoing war between the two nations. This marks the first time the envoys have visited Ukraine since President Trump took office, with a commitment to resolving the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously called for security guarantees and peace in a social media post. Witkoff and Kushner spent three hours with Putin on Saturday, discussing plans for future steps that will be announced in the coming weeks, according to a White House official. Trump informed reporters that the envoys were traveling to Ukraine and Russia with a peace proposal, stating there was a significant chance they would succeed.

Following the meeting, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated that the American delegation had prepared seriously for the trip and presented ideas for potential settlement paths, though he did not provide specifics. Prior to the trip, both Ukraine and Russia agreed to a ceasefire while the envoys were in the country, allowing for talks to occur.

Putin ordered a three-day halt in strikes against Kyiv, effective immediately, to facilitate the discussions. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy followed suit by halting strikes until Monday. The U.S. delegation also thanked Putin for releasing Robert Gilman, a U.S. Marine veteran who had been imprisoned in Russia since 2022. Gilman was released last month and returned home after being hospitalized in serious condition due to alleged severe mistreatment.