Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The meeting, which lasted more than three hours behind closed doors, was held to discuss terms for ending the war in Ukraine. Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, described the talks to journalists as "constructive, frank and useful," though no specific breakthroughs or outcomes were announced immediately following the session.
The diplomatic visit occurred as Russia and Ukraine agreed to a three-day pause in aerial attacks on each other’s capital cities. This suspension of strikes was intended to facilitate the U.S.-led peace talks. The day prior to the meeting, on Friday, September 4, a Russian drone attack was reported in Brovary on the outskirts of Kyiv, where a warehouse was partially destroyed.
Steve Witkoff serves as a U.S. envoy, and Jared Kushner is the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. During the visit to Moscow, the U.S. delegation was met at the airport by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Following the conclusion of their meetings in Moscow, the U.S. envoys are scheduled to travel to Kyiv on Sunday, September 6, for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
On a concrete, day-to-day level, civilians in the capitals will notice a suspension of air raid sirens and drone or missile strikes through at least Monday, September 7. If the talks lead to a lasting ceasefire, it would affect the deployment and safety of hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides of the front lines. The involvement of Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff signals a diplomatic approach by the Trump administration to secure a negotiated settlement to a war that began in February 2022.
The knock-on effects of these negotiations extend to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union, which have provided billions of dollars in military and financial aid to Ukraine. A shift in U.S. policy toward a negotiated settlement could alter future aid packages and set a new precedent for how the U.S. handles security guarantees in Eastern Europe. The next steps involve the U.S. delegation's arrival in Kyiv on Sunday, September 6, where they will present the Russian positions to President Zelenskyy and attempt to find common ground for a formal peace process.