Trump envoys schedule Moscow and Kyiv visits to discuss Ukraine peace

Steve Witkoff, the real‑estate developer who has served as a senior adviser to former President Donald Trump, and Jared Kushner, the former White House senior adviser and Trump’s son‑in‑law, have been identified as the principal envoys in the administration’s diplomatic push to negotiate an end to the Russia‑Ukraine conflict. The pair were dispatched in early 2024 to engage both Kyiv and Moscow, leveraging Kushner’s contacts in the region and Witkoff’s business ties to Russian oligarchs, in an effort to secure a cease‑fire and a framework for a political settlement. Their outreach included back‑channel meetings in neutral locations, the exchange of preliminary proposals on territorial concessions, and the coordination of humanitarian aid corridors, all conducted under the auspices of the White House’s Office of International Engagement.

Despite intensive shuttle diplomacy, the negotiations have stalled as of late May, with Ukrainian officials rejecting the terms presented and Russian representatives demanding guarantees that they deem insufficient. Sources within the State Department indicated that disagreements over the status of occupied territories, the timing of troop withdrawals, and the mechanisms for future security guarantees remain unresolved. The impasse has prompted the Trump administration to reassess its strategy, while maintaining that diplomatic efforts continue despite the lack of immediate progress.