Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Thursday, September 3, that he expects a visit to Kyiv from the envoys of US President Donald Trump "in the coming days." Zelensky revealed that "preliminary dates" have been set for this meeting, without disclosing them, and that it is "very important" that the United States remain active in this diplomatic work.
The envoys are Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have already visited Moscow several times as part of the negotiations to try to find a way out of the war. It would be the first visit to Kyiv since Trump's return to the White House in January 2025. Zelensky spoke by phone with the emissaries at the end of July, with the aim of "revitalizing diplomacy."
If confirmed, this visit would represent an advance in US mediation efforts, which have not yet led to any significant diplomatic breakthrough. These efforts have taken a back seat in Washington's agenda since the beginning of the war in the Middle East in February of this year.
Ukraine and the US offered Russian President Vladimir Putin a three-way meeting with Zelensky and Trump to discuss the terms under which the war could end. The Kremlin rejected this proposal and does not accept an immediate ceasefire to give momentum to the negotiations. The Russian invasion was launched on February 24, 2022, and is considered the most serious security crisis in Europe since World War II.
