Jared Kushner, senior advisor and son-in-law of President Donald Trump, along with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, made a surprise visit to Moscow on September 5. After meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kushner is expected to head to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, the following day.
According to Russia's TASS news agency, Kushner's flight arrived at Vnukovo Airport at 12:52 p.m. local time. The delegation was welcomed by Kirill Dmitriev, a Kremlin envoy for foreign investment and economic cooperation, who is considered a key figure in the Trump administration's efforts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia. Putin expressed his pleasure at the arrival of Kushner and Witkoff, stating that Russia welcomes them and looks forward to collaboration.
Kushner and Witkoff are set to travel to Ukraine on September 6. In a rare move, both countries halted their artillery exchanges, which had been intense until September 4, to facilitate the U.S. delegation's visit. Putin ordered a three-day pause in attacks on Ukraine from September 5 to 7. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted on social media that there would be no airstrikes to ensure the Russian airspace operates normally, emphasizing that this was for the benefit of the U.S. envoy delegation.
The success of the negotiations will likely depend on Kushner's discussions with Zelenskyy regarding proposals from the Russian side. Zelenskyy stated on social media that he would be watching to see what proposals Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner bring and what they heard in Moscow.
However, significant differences remain between the two sides regarding NATO membership and the territorial claims over four regions in Ukraine. According to The Guardian, the Kremlin reaffirmed its stance that Putin's conditions from two years ago still stand: Ukraine cannot join NATO, and the four regions currently occupied by Russia will remain under its control. This is seen as an unacceptable condition for Ukraine.
President Trump expressed confidence in the peace efforts surrounding Kushner's visit to Russia and Ukraine. Speaking to reporters on September 4, Trump said, "We have ideas for peace," and noted that he sent skilled negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to see if something could be achieved.
There is also interest in whether Kushner's delegation will fly directly from Russia to Ukraine. The BBC reported that the U.S. government aircraft carrying Kushner took off from Helsinki, Finland, and landed in Moscow. However, it remains unclear how the flight path will proceed from Russia to Kyiv, as Ukraine's airspace has been closed since Russia's invasion in 2022. Most foreign delegations visiting Ukraine have entered via train from neighboring countries like Poland.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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