US envoys Witkoff and Kushner to visit Moscow and Kyiv; Kremlin sources pessimistic

Why it matters

A high-level US diplomatic push is underway to end the war, but Kremlin-sourced assessments suggest the Moscow visit may yield no breakthrough. Putin's continued insistence on Ukraine ceding the rest of Donetsk oblast remains the central unresolved demand. Ukraine is seeking a temporary mutual halt to air strikes during the diplomatic visits as a confidence-building step, while Russia continued launching drones at Ukraine during the night of September 5, underscoring the gap between diplomatic gestures and battlefield reality.

What happened

US presidential special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were scheduled to arrive in Moscow on Saturday with a proposal to end the war in Ukraine, then travel to Kyiv on September 6. Sources close to the Kremlin, cited by Bloomberg, described expectations from the Moscow visit as "extremely low" and said previous trips by the envoys had produced no progress, with no reason to believe this visit would bring acceptable proposals. According to those sources, Vladimir Putin is ready to end the war only on his own terms, and Russia's demands are growing harsher because Moscow believes it holds a military advantage.

In the evening of September 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner would visit Kyiv over the weekend and stated that Ukraine would ensure the "normal functioning of Russian airspace" during the trips. He said Ukraine is ready to refrain from striking Russian territory with air attacks during the visits and expects reciprocal action from Moscow. A source in the Office of the President said the proposal involves mutual cessation of air strikes within specific geographic and temporal limits, and sources in the Defense Forces said certain units had already received combat orders to temporarily halt strikes until the end of September 7. The American side was also expected to discuss the proposal with Moscow separately, and Russia's reaction could become known as early as the night of September 5.

The central sticking point remains Putin's demand that Ukraine hand over the remainder of Donetsk oblast under any potential deal — a demand Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. It remains unclear whether American officials are offering any new initiatives capable of breaking the deadlock. As of reporting, no ceasefire agreement with Russia had been confirmed, and Russia continued launching drones at Ukraine during the night of September 5. Prior to the visits, media reported that the US envoys were allegedly discussing alternative plans for the Kyiv leg due to Russian intimidation.

How Ukrainian sources describe it

Ukrainian-source articles center on the Kremlin's pessimistic assessment of the diplomatic visit, quoting Bloomberg on low expectations and Russia's hardened demands. They emphasize Zelensky's confirmation of the Kyiv visit on September 6 and his readiness to refrain from air strikes during the visits while expecting reciprocal Russian action, framing Ukraine as the active diplomatic party offering a confidence-building measure.

How international sources describe it

The framing in available sources presents Ukraine as the active diplomatic party, highlighting its proposal for a temporary mutual halt to air strikes during the scheduled meetings and its waiting for Russia's response.

Where reporting differs

Some sources frame the US proposal as a potential path to end the war, while Kremlin-sourced assessments describe expectations from the visit as "extremely low" and say there is no reason to believe acceptable proposals will emerge this time.

Background

Previous trips by Witkoff and Kushner to Russia reportedly produced no progress, and there is no reason to believe this time will bring acceptable proposals, according to Bloomberg sources. Russia's demands are described as growing harsher because Moscow believes it holds a military advantage. It remains unclear whether American officials are offering any new initiatives capable of breaking the negotiating deadlock over the most serious conflict in Europe since World War II. Prior to the visits, media reported the US envoys were allegedly discussing alternative plans for the Kyiv leg due to Russian intimidation.