The Independent World
· collected 2026-09-04 · by Shweta Sharma,Alex Croft and Bryony Gooch
Donald Trump has claimed the US has “an idea for peace” as he sends his special envoy Steve Witkoff for talks with both Moscow and Kyiv.
asserted
he → claim → Moscow
Speaking to press on Friday, the president suggested the US had a fresh concrete proposal aimed at ending the war, which is now in its fifth year.
uncertain
which → speak → year
He did not, however, elaborate on what that proposal would be.
asserted
proposal → elaborate → ?
Nor did he say if Witkoff or his son-in-law Jared Kushner would be traveling to Ukraine, Russia or both nations.
asserted
Witkoff → say → Ukraine
It comes after reports that Witkoff is “too scared” to travel to Kyiv for peace talks throwing planned negotiations into doubt.
asserted
Witkoff → come → doubt
The Kyiv visit was thrown into doubt amid claims that Witkoff is concerned about Russian warnings that he should not travel to the Ukrainian capital, the Kyiv Independent reported.
uncertain
Independent → throw → capital
"The Russians don't want them to come here to Kyiv, and Witkoff is always sensitive to Russian sentiment,” a source told the outlet.
asserted
source → want → outlet
"They're being told there that it's dangerous."
asserted
it → tell → ?
The pair were due to arrive in Kyiv by plane, with the outlet previously reporting that Witkoff does not like taking the train to Kyiv.
asserted
Witkoff → arrive → Kyiv
Air Tanzania to resume Moscow flights after brief suspension
Air Tanzania briefly suspended its Dar es Salaam-Moscow service on Friday, citing safety concerns amid a surge in Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia.
asserted
Tanzania → resume → Russia
The airline said the decision, which had been due to affect flights from Friday, followed “a routine risk assessment of the operating environment along the route”.
asserted
which → say → route
This came after an Air Tanzania flight from Zanzibar to Moscow was diverted to St Petersburg on 3 September because of an airspace closure around Moscow.
asserted
flight → come → Moscow
However, the airline reversed the suspension within hours, saying flights would resume on 7 September.
asserted
flights → reverse → September
Ukraine says two major Russian oil facilities halted after strikes
Two major Russian oil facilities have halted operations following Ukrainian strikes, Ukraine’s General Staff said on Friday.
asserted
Staff → say → Friday
Lukoil’s NORSI refinery in Kstovo, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, was forced to stop operating after a Ukrainian drone strike on 26 August.
asserted
refinery → force → August
The General Staff also said the Novatek-Ust-Luga complex in the Leningrad region had suspended operations after a strike earlier this week.
asserted
complex → say → strike
It said pipelines, a gas-condensate processing unit, and two hydrocracking columns were damaged, with oil-product spills and a fire also reported.
asserted
spills → say → ?
Trump envoys head to Moscow and Kyiv with peace proposal
US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are heading to Moscow and Kyiv in a fresh attempt by Donald Trump’s administration to revive efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
asserted
Witkoff → head → Ukraine
Trump told reporters on Friday: “We have an idea for peace”, adding that Witkoff and Kushner were being sent to see “whether or not we can get something done” and that “there may be a good chance that we’ll do it”.
The pair are expected to visit Moscow first before travelling to Kyiv on Sunday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed.
uncertain
Zelensky → tell → Sunday
It will be their first visit to Ukraine, while Witkoff has travelled to Moscow several times.
asserted
Witkoff → travel → Moscow
Zelensky calls for temporary air truce during US envoys’ visit
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a temporary halt to airstrikes while US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visit Moscow and Kyiv, saying Ukraine will not launch attacks during the diplomatic mission.
asserted
Ukraine → call → mission
“There will be no air strikes from our side, and Russia must do the same, ensuring there are no air strikes from its side for the time needed to hold these talks and handle the logistical matters related to this American visit,” Zelensky said in his evening address on Friday.
asserted
Zelensky → do → Friday
Zelensky said the envoys would travel to Moscow before heading to Kyiv on Sunday.
asserted
envoys → say → Sunday
Russia attacks Kyiv despite reported ceasefire, injuring two
Russian drones struck Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight, with at least two people injured despite a reported ceasefire.
Two women were hurt and taken to hospital in Boryspil, around 29km east of Kyiv, according to regional authorities, reported the Kyiv Independent.
uncertain
Independent → attack → authorities
A nine-storey residential building was also damaged, with its roof and top floor catching fire.
asserted
roof → damage → fire
The attacks continued into the early hours of Saturday after the ceasefire was said to have begun ahead of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner’s visit to Ukraine and Russia.
asserted
ceasefire → continue → Ukraine
Air-raid warnings were issued repeatedly across Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast through the night, while explosions were reported in the capital.
asserted
explosions → issue → capital
Russian drones and glide bombs also targeted several other Ukrainian cities and frontline areas.
asserted
drones → target → cities
Trump says Europe should repay US for Ukraine aid - ICYMI
Donald Trump said on Thursday that European countries should repay the US for military aid and ammunition previously sent to Ukraine.
He also appeared to signal a temporary halt to some US weapons sales to allies.
Trump said the US was building up its own stockpiles of munitions amid concerns over depleted supplies, particularly as the war with Iran continues.
“We are taking them for ourselves, the USA, rather than selling them to others, but the sales to Allies will soon again begin,” Trump said in a social media post.
asserted
Trump → say → post
He also said Europe should have paid for weapons provided to Ukraine and Nato, blaming the administration of his predecessor Joe Biden.
asserted
Europe → say → predecessor
“Hundreds of Billions of Dollars was given to Ukraine and Nato, free of charge, that Europe would have paid for – If they were only asked, but we will be asking for that money, though somewhat belatedly!”
asserted
we → give → money
Trump wrote.
asserted
Trump → write → ?
The US and Nato last year established the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List initiative, under which European countries pay for US-made weapons supplied to Ukraine.
asserted
countries → establish → Ukraine
Trump’s comments came after Reuters reported last month that the US Army had used much of its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during the Iran war, raising concerns over US military readiness.
asserted
Army → come → readiness
The wars in Ukraine and Iran are also creating economic and political pressure on the Trump administration, with rising energy prices a growing concern.
asserted
prices → create → administration
Kyiv sees Europe's appetite for talks on frozen Russian assets - Reuters
Ukraine sees growing appetite among European allies for a serious discussion to be renewed on the use of Russian frozen assets, a senior government official has told the Reuters news agency.
asserted
official → see → agency
The official said some allies wanted to avoid using frozen assets to keep them as a negotiating chip for future talks.
asserted
allies → say → talks
Kyiv thinks this is unnecessary and wants access to the funds now, they added.
asserted
they → think → funds
