American negotiators Witkoff and Kushner to visit Russia and Ukraine this weekend

American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to visit Russia and Ukraine this weekend to continue peace efforts regarding the ongoing conflict. The mission follows their previous diplomatic visit to Moscow in January, where they held late-night discussions with President Vladimir Putin. While Russian news agency Tass confirmed the visits, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky specified that the duo will arrive in Ukraine on Sunday following their stop in Moscow.

To ensure the safety of the negotiators, President Zelensky has publicly guaranteed the security of Russian airspace for their transit. He has formally called upon the Russian government to cease all aerial attacks against Ukraine for the duration of the visit. Zelensky stated that Ukraine will similarly refrain from any air strikes to maintain a period of calm, emphasizing that these security measures are intended solely to protect the diplomatic mission and resolve logistical issues related to the visit. This trip marks the latest in a series of U.S.-mediated efforts, with the last round of formal negotiations between Russia and Ukraine having taken place in February.