US envoys Witkoff and Kushner meet Putin in Moscow before Kyiv peace talks

Talks at the Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin met US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at his official residence in Moscow on the evening of Saturday, 5 September 2026. The closed-door meeting commenced at 20:00 local time and concluded after three hours. The diplomatic encounter represents the first high-level US initiative to restart direct talks since trilateral negotiations in Geneva broke down in mid-February 2026. Russian state television aired footage of Putin receiving the two envoys in a spacious Kremlin hall, where he addressed the ongoing war and sent greetings to Washington.

Allow me to extend my best wishes and thanks to the President of the United States, Mr. Trump.

Stated positions and proposals

Donald Trump dispatched Witkoff, a businessman, and Kushner, his son-in-law, with proposals intended to establish a framework for ending the conflict. Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov told journalists after the meeting that the exchange was constructive, frank, and characterized by mutual trust. Ushakov noted that the Russian delegation maintained confidence in achieving its military and political objectives while hearing the American proposals.

The American representatives prepared thoroughly for this trip. They not only reiterated their usual interest in a swift end to hostilities, but also presented a number of ideas on possible paths leading to a settlement.

A White House official confirmed in a statement that the envoys discussed substantial plans for subsequent steps, which the administration intends to announce in the coming weeks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov disputed that the envoys presented an entirely new plan, stating that no new concepts had been tabled, though he welcomed the mediation efforts of the United States.

Strikes and a three-day pause

The diplomatic contacts unfolded alongside continuous military actions on Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Russian forces struck airports in Kyiv overnight from Friday to Saturday, describing the bombardment as an attempt to interfere with the arrival of the US delegation. Ukrainian authorities confirmed that Russian strikes on Saturday killed at least seven people, with five fatalities recorded in the central Dnipro region and two in the Bucha district near Kyiv.

Following the strikes, Peskov announced on Saturday that Putin ordered a three-day halt to attacks on Kyiv to accommodate the presence of the US representatives. Zelensky had previously pledged on Friday that Ukrainian forces would refrain from strikes inside Russia during the negotiation window, urging Moscow to commit to a reciprocal ceasefire for the duration of the discussions.

Envoys head to Kyiv

Witkoff and Kushner will travel to Kyiv on Sunday, 6 September 2026, for the second stage of their diplomatic mission. Ukrainian officials had evaluated logistics for the envoys to arrive by air before the latest strikes. The White House stated that the negotiators anticipate productive discussions with Ukrainian leaders in Kyiv, aiming to evaluate potential terms for resuming structured peace talks that have remained stalled since earlier in the year.