Zelensky announces preliminary dates for US envoy visits to Kyiv and Moscow
On September 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said preliminary dates have been agreed for meetings between representatives of US President Donald Trump and the warring sides, with visits planned for both Kyiv and Moscow. Zelensky said Ukraine expects the Kyiv meeting "in the coming days."
Key points
- Zelensky announced the preliminary dates on September 3 during his evening video address.
- He said Ukraine's team is in effective 24/7 communication with the US president's representatives.
- The US side confirmed meetings will take place in both Moscow and Kyiv.
- Ukraine expects the US representatives in Kyiv "in the coming days."
- The US envoys named in connection with the planned Kyiv visit are Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's special representatives.
- Zelensky had previously called it "disrespectful" that Trump's envoys had visited Moscow multiple times without ever traveling to Kyiv.
Why it matters
The announcement signals a parallel US diplomatic track engaging both Kyiv and Moscow simultaneously, indicating an intensification of American-led mediation. A Kyiv visit by Trump's envoys would be their first to Ukraine, addressing a point of friction Zelensky had raised publicly, and points to ongoing efforts to produce a negotiated settlement to the war.
What happened
On September 3, President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting with his negotiating team and announced during his evening video address that preliminary dates had been agreed for upcoming meetings with representatives of US President Donald Trump. Zelensky said Ukrainian and US teams are communicating effectively around the clock and that the US side had confirmed meetings in both Moscow and Kyiv. He said Ukraine expects the Kyiv meeting "in the coming days" and that Ukraine is ready for substantive meetings in the country. The US envoys named in connection with the planned Kyiv visit are Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's special representatives.
Background
On August 25, CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow; Trump suggested the trip "might produce something." On August 31, Zelensky held a phone call with Witkoff and Kushner and said they were preparing to visit Ukraine. Also on August 31, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met his Russian counterpart at a G20 summit to discuss Trump's peace plan for Ukraine. RFE/RL journalist Alex Raufoglu reported that Witkoff and Kushner may first visit Kyiv during events marking Ukraine's 35th independence anniversary, with the visit "slightly delayed but not cancelled" due to intensified attacks on Kyiv. Zelensky had previously described as "disrespectful" the fact that Trump's envoys had visited Moscow multiple times without ever traveling to Kyiv.