Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
· collected 2026-09-06 · by Al Jazeera Staff
Story summary
Here's a summary of the news story based on the article excerpts:
Donald Trump sends special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Russia and Ukraine to negotiate a peace deal. The two men, who have been leading US efforts to broker a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, will visit Moscow on Saturday and then head to Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city, on Sunday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump has suggested that the US has a new proposal aimed at ending the war, which is now in its fifth year, but did not elaborate on what it entails.
Zelensky confirms he will meet with Witkoff and Kushner, saying that they "are bringing with them a proposal to end the war." The Ukrainian president also guaranteed the safety of Russian airspace during their visit. In a related development, Trump has been critical of Europe for not paying its share of military aid to Ukraine, suggesting that European nations should repay the US for past assistance.
The news comes as tensions between Russia and Ukraine remain high, with both sides accusing each other of violating a ceasefire agreement. The fate of the peace talks is uncertain, but the fact that Trump has sent his top envoys to the region suggests that he is serious about finding a solution to the conflict.
Written for “Trump's Peace Efforts in Ukraine” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 66 other(s) covering the same event.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have held talks with President Vladmir Putin in Moscow, in what appears to be new efforts by the Trump administration to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
asserted
what → hold → war
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the envoys were bringing “a proposal to end the war” – Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II – and a senior Russian official said it was an “important peacemaking visit”.
asserted
it → say → II
Recommended Stories
list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Witkoff and Kushner will travel to ‘end’ Russia’s war in Ukraine:
asserted
4Witkoff → travel → Ukraine
Trump
- list 2 of 4Trump sends envoys to Russia, Ukraine with new peace plan
- list 3 of 4At least 5 killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine as US envoys visit Moscow
- list 4 of 4US envoys arrive in Kyiv for Ukraine war talks after meeting Putin
Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and Witkoff, the US special envoy, are expected to arrive in Kyiv on Sunday, reviving diplomacy when both countries have escalated attacks.
asserted
countries → send → attacks
Both Moscow and Kyiv announced a three-day ceasefire to coincide with the latest trip.
asserted
Moscow → announce → trip
So what’s behind the latest initiative by the US envoys and will it help end the war?
asserted
it → ’ → war
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the high-level talks were “highly useful” and lasted for more than three hours, according to Reuters.
uncertain
talks → say → Reuters
Witkoff and Kushner “outlined a number of ideas regarding possible avenues for a settlement,” said Ushakov, without providing any further detail, but added that the talks had been “substantive, very frank and constructive”.
asserted
talks → outline → detail
Videos show Putin meeting the US envoys in the famous Red Drawing Room at the Kremlin on Saturday and telling his guests that the situation they are exploring “is, of course, not an easy one”.
asserted
they → show → course
The question remains whether Russia is willing to compromise, said Al Jazeera correspondent Yulia Shapovalova from Moscow.
asserted
Shapovalova → remain → Moscow
“Moscow demands that Ukraine not join NATO and hand over four Ukrainian regions to Russia, including territories not controlled by Russian forces.”
asserted
Ukraine → demand → forces
In September 2022, Putin proclaimed the annexation of four partially occupied Ukrainian regions – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
asserted
Putin → proclaim → regions
The move was not recognised by the international community, including the UN.
asserted
move → recognise → UN
Ukraine has refused to cede territory to Russia.
asserted
Ukraine → refuse → Russia
The Trump administration has ruled out a seat for Ukraine at NATO – which Russia has opposed.
asserted
Russia → rule → which
Trump had initially been critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but has since mended ties after berating the Ukrainian leader in the Oval Office in February last year.
asserted
Trump → mend → February
In August, Trump met Putin in Alaska, but the summit failed to reach a deal to end the war.
asserted
summit → meet → war
Witkoff and Kushner have been involved in a number of diplomatic talks, including the Iran war, the so-called ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel and the Ukraine-Russia war.
asserted
Witkoff → involve → Hamas
Witkoff was appointed as the special envoy to the Middle East and later assigned the task of helping end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
asserted
Witkoff → appoint → conflict
Kushner also played a major role in the 2020 Abraham Accords that saw a number of Muslim countries recognise Israel.
asserted
number → play → Israel
The initiative has been criticised for prioritising Arab-Israeli normalisation without addressing the question of a Palestinian state.
asserted
initiative → criticise → state
The details of the latest Ukraine peace plan are unclear, but Trump reportedly said last week, “we have an idea for peace”, without providing any additional details.
uncertain
we → say → details
The presence of Treasury official Gene Lang, who oversees US sanctions policy, including on Russia, indicates that the ongoing financial, economic and trade sanctions on Russia might have been part of the discussions in Moscow.
uncertain
sanctions → oversee → Moscow
The Trump administration has ramped up sanctions on Russia aimed at forcing it to end the war.
asserted
administration → ramp → war
The Iran war has, however, diverted Trump’s and global attention away from the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
asserted
war → divert → conflict
The Iran war has also strained transatlantic ties as Trump has accused his European and NATO allies of not helping him in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has used as leverage in talks.
asserted
Tehran → strain → talks
He has also been critical of NATO allies for not sharing the burden of collective defence, particularly against Russian threats.
asserted
He → share → threats
NATO members from Europe have since stepped up their spending and offered to provide security guarantees to Ukraine after a deal is signed with Russia.
asserted
deal → step → Russia
The latest push comes amid deadly Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, while Kyiv has stepped up drone attacks on Russian energy sites.
asserted
Kyiv → come → sites
They have arrived in Kyiv for their first visit to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
asserted
They → arrive → Zelenskyy
Experts say Ukrainians are sceptical of the US envoys.
asserted
Ukrainians → say → envoys
“The view in Ukraine [is] that Witkoff, and to some extent Kushner, are most susceptible to accepting Russia’s narrative,” said Alexey Muraviev, a senior research fellow of defence and strategic studies at Edith Cowan University in Australia.
asserted
Muraviev → accept → Australia
Witkoff told Putin that the US president had sent his best wishes and thanked him for the limited ceasefire during the delegation’s visit.
asserted
president → tell → visit
The special US envoy was also recorded telling Putin that “we will have all these incredible stories and memories, and yours will be right at the top of it all”.
asserted
yours → record → it
The Russian president conveyed his gratitude to Trump and said Moscow would do its utmost to ensure the safety of the mediators.
asserted
Moscow → convey → mediators
The choice of words and tone won’t sit well with Ukrainians, explained Al Jazeera correspondent Audrey McAlpine from Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.
asserted
McAlpine → sit → capital
While the visit there is seen as significant, the interaction between the envoys and Putin is an indication of “that familiarity between Witkoff and Putin”, she said.
asserted
she → see → Witkoff
Where the war stands now?
asserted
war → stand → ?
Russia and Ukraine announced a halt in attacks on each other’s capitals until Monday.
asserted
Russia → announce → Monday
The no-shoot policy is to ensure the envoys travel to the talks.
asserted
envoys → ensure → talks
…and 20 more, not listed.
