Trump: Witkoff and Kushner bringing proposal to end war in Ukraine
Representatives of the US President Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are going to Russia and Ukraine with Washington's proposal to end the war. US President Donald Trump has for the first time directly outlined the content of their upcoming diplomatic mission, but details of the American proposal have not yet been publicly disclosed.
Trump said this on September 4 during a conversation with journalists.
"They are carrying with them a proposal to end the war," — said the US president.
Trump confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner will go first to Moscow and then to Kyiv. Thus, this is not just about consultations with both sides, but about a new attempt by Washington to promote a specific option for the settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
However, the US president did not say what conditions are contained in the proposal. In particular, it is not yet known whether it provides for a ceasefire, separate agreements on territories, security guarantees for Ukraine, or the sequence of further negotiations.
After Moscow, Witkoff and Kushner will come to Kyiv
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the route of the American representatives on the evening of September 4. According to him, Witkoff and Kushner will first visit Moscow, and on Sunday, September 6, they are expected to arrive in Kyiv.
The Ukrainian side has already begun preparations for the negotiations. Zelenskyy said that he held a meeting with an expanded diplomatic team that deals with relations with the United States.
The President of Ukraine emphasized that Kyiv expects a maximally substantive conversation with Trump's representatives and intends to study both the American proposals and Moscow's reaction to them.
"We need to look for real options for how to bring this war to an end. We will see what proposals Steve and Jared have and what they are told about this in Moscow," — stated Zelenskyy.
Thus, the meeting in Kyiv should take place after the contacts of the American delegation with the Russian side. This will allow the Ukrainian leadership to receive from Witkoff and Kushner not only the position of the Trump administration, but also information about Moscow's reaction to the option of ending the war proposed by Washington.
Ukraine proposed mutually stopping air strikes during the visit
Separately, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is ready to refrain from air strikes on Russia during the trip of the American negotiators to Moscow. Kyiv expects a reciprocal step from the Russian side during their subsequent visit to Ukraine.
According to the president, Ukraine will ensure conditions for the safe arrival of the American delegation in Moscow. In turn, Russia, according to Kyiv, should stop air strikes for the time necessary for negotiations and resolving logistical issues related to the trip.
In fact, Kyiv proposed a limited-time mutual cessation of air hostilities, directly tied to the US diplomatic mission. Russia's agreement to such a condition has not yet been reported.
Press secretary of Vladimir Putin Dmitry Peskov also did not officially confirm the upcoming talks in Moscow on Friday. He said that the Kremlin will report on contacts with Witkoff and Kushner when they occur.
This will be the first visit to Kyiv for Witkoff and Kushner
The upcoming trip will be the first visit of Witkoff and Kushner to the Ukrainian capital within the current negotiation process. Previously, they repeatedly communicated with the Ukrainian side remotely and met with Ukrainian representatives in third countries, but did not come directly to Kyiv.
Both Trump representatives have already been to Moscow. The last joint visit of Witkoff and Kushner took place in January, when they met with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.
After those talks, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov called the conversation constructive, but at the same time emphasized that a long-term settlement is impossible without resolving the territorial issue. In the following months, the diplomatic process lost momentum, and much of the Trump administration's attention shifted to the conflict with Iran.
What issues remain unresolved
The main contradictions between Ukraine and Russia during previous rounds of negotiations were primarily related to territories and future security guarantees for Ukraine.
As early as the beginning of 2026, Kyiv and its partners reported significant progress in developing a system of post-war guarantees. Mechanisms for preventing new Russian aggression, maintaining the numbers and capabilities of the Ukrainian army, monitoring a possible ceasefire, and the participation of the US and European countries in the future security architecture were discussed.
Zelenskyy noted then that territories remain one of the most difficult unresolved issues. Some issues that cannot be agreed at the level of negotiating teams are expected to be referred to the level of leaders.
It is not yet known whether the new proposal that Witkoff and Kushner are bringing to Moscow and Kyiv has changed the previous American approaches to these issues.
New negotiation attempt comes amid intensified strikes
The resumption of diplomatic contacts is happening simultaneously with a sharp escalation of the air war. On September 4, a Russian drone struck the building of the Security Service of Ukraine in central Kyiv. As a result of the Russian attack, 12 people were wounded in the capital.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha called the strike a serious escalation precisely at a time when efforts to resume negotiations had intensified. On the same day, Zelenskyy said he approved proposals by the SBU and the Armed Forces for retaliatory measures against Russian strikes.
Despite the hostilities, the US administration decided to resume the mediation mission. According to Axios, the trip of Witkoff and Kushner should be a new attempt to restart negotiations on ending the war after a prolonged pause.
The outcome of the mission will largely depend on how Moscow reacts to the Trump administration's proposal and how acceptable the position that the American representatives will bring to Kyiv will be for Ukraine.
The mere fact of Trump's statement that his representatives are bringing a "proposal to end the war" to the parties indicates Washington's transition from preparing contacts to attempting to bring a specific settlement scheme for discussion. However, its content and the positions of Russia and Ukraine on the key conditions will become clear only after the upcoming meetings.
Based on materials: Donald Trump's press conference, Office of the President of Ukraine, Axios, Associated Press
