US envoys Witkoff and Kushner are in Moscow in a new push for peace between Russia and Ukraine, state media say

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of trying to disrupt the US envoys’ visit with overnight strikes on Kyiv’s two airports and a civilian target in the Dnipro region. (EPA Images pic) MOSCOW: US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow on Saturday to discuss a plan to end more than four years of war between Russia and Ukraine.After talks in Moscow, the pair, sent by US president Donald Trump, are expected to travel on to Kyiv in Washington's latest bid to break a diplomatic stalemate in Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of trying to disrupt the envoys' visit with overnight strikes on Kyiv's two airports, as well as on a civilian target in the Dnipro region that killed five people."Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the US side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine," Zelensky said on X, adding there would be "no threats to diplomacy" from the Ukrainian side.It will be the first time that Trump's businessman friend Witkoff and son-in-law Kushner have visited war-torn Kyiv since Trump returned to office last year with a pledge to resolve the conflict.Travelling to Kyiv by plane would be a highly unusual move, with Ukrainian airspace closed since 2022 because of the war. Visiting leaders and officials have largely travelled by train.The envoys are expected in Kyiv on Sunday, a senior Ukrainian official told AFP, while US outlet Axios reported they would meet Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday.Trump told reporters that the two negotiators would seek to gauge whether progress was possible towards peace in the conflict.Peace efforts have stalled due to Washington's war with Iran, while Moscow and Kyiv have intensified long-range attacks, driving up civilian casualties to levels not seen since the start of fighting."I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators.

They've done a great job, and we sent them over to see whether or not we can get something done. And there may be a good chance that we'll do it," Trump said."They're bringing with them a proposal to end the war," he said.The US president would not say whether the plan involved Ukraine ceding territory as he has previously suggested, but added: "We have an idea for peace".Witkoff and Kus… Washington’s push to end the fighting, now in its fifth year, has lost momentum as US attention has been focused for the last six months on its war with Iran.

envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow to revive efforts to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for a halt to air attacks during their visit, but Moscow has not publicly responded.(Image credit: Francisco Seco) envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday to try to revive a stalled push to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian state news outlets reported.The visit came as both sides escalated their aerial attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would halt airstrikes during the envoys' trip and urged Moscow to do the same. Moscow did not publicly respond to the proposal.Washington’s push to end the fighting, now in its fifth year, has lost momentum as U.S. attention has been focused for the last six months on its war with Iran.The envoys were met at the airport by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s state news agency Tass said.The last known visit to Moscow by Witkoff and Kushner, U.S.

President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, was in January, when they met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. They have never visited Kyiv, but Zelenskyy said he was expecting them in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday.With peace efforts stalled, Russia intensified its attacks on Kyiv and other cities with relentless bombardments recently stretching into daylight hours, taking advantage of Ukraine’s shortage of air defensive systems.On Friday, a Russian drone hit one of the most important government buildings in Kyiv — the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service, known as the SBU, which is one of the agencies involved in carrying out deep-strike operations inside Russia.The long-range strikes by Ukraine have hit Russian military facilities, oil refineries and e-commerce hubs, seeking to undermine the Kremlin’s war effort and economy, as well as make ordinary citizens feel the consequences of the war.Zelenskyy links Russian strikes to envoys' visitThe air war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified as troops have struggled to make progress along the 1,250-kilometer (775-mile) front line. Russia has recently been using fast-flying, jet-powered drones, and the recurring wail of air-raid sirens has become part of daily life in Kyiv.In a social media post on Saturday, Zelenskyy said that Russia had carried out overnight strikes on Kyiv and Boryspil international airports, and linked the attack to the planned U.S.

visit.“Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the U.S. side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine,” he said.“We h… MOSCOW (AP) — US envoys Witkoff and Kushner are in Moscow in a new push for peace between Russia and Ukraine, state media say.