Trump envoys land in Moscow for Russia-Ukraine peace push — SkimNews
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- Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow on September 5, 2026, sent by Trump to pursue an end to the four-year Russia-Ukraine war; Trump said they're 'bringing a proposal' but refused to confirm whether it involves Ukraine ceding territory.
- Zelensky accused Russia of trying to disrupt the envoys' visit with overnight strikes on Kyiv's two airports and a civilian target in the Dnipro region that killed five, calling the airport attacks a reaction to preparations for a US aircraft to enter Ukrainian airspace.
- The US envoys are expected to fly into Kyiv on September 6 — a highly unusual move given Ukrainian airspace has been closed since 2022 — and it would mark their first visit to war-torn Kyiv since Trump returned to office.
- Zelensky proposed observing a mutual ceasefire for the duration of the envoys' trip, pledging no Ukrainian airstrikes; Russia did not immediately respond to the offer.
- Russia struck Ukraine's SBU security service headquarters in central Kyiv with a drone on September 4 — the first such strike on the building since the invasion began — just hours before Trump's announcement of the envoy mission.
- Peace efforts have stalled due to Washington's parallel war with Iran, per the source, while Moscow and Kyiv have intensified long-range attacks driving civilian casualties to levels not seen since the conflict's start.
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a rare visit to Moscow more than a week earlier, warning Russia against attacks on NATO member states, and the US hosted Russia's finance minister at a G20 gathering in North Carolina earlier this week.
Why it matters: The proposed flight to Kyiv through airspace closed since 2022 marks the envoys' first visit since Trump returned to office, and Zelensky's ceasefire offer gives Putin a clear test of intent ahead of Sunday's talks. With peace stalled by the US-Iran war and civilian casualties at early-conflict levels, the territorial concessions Trump has previously floated are now back on the negotiating table.
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