Trump's peace envoys to visit Moscow and Kyiv over weekend, reports say

As efforts to end the war appear to be gathering pace, US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia and Ukraine this weekend, reports say.

Key points

• Russia introduced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and at present controls regarding 20% of its territory.
• Earlier on Friday, Zelensky remarked a Russian drone hit the office of Ukraine's security chief Oleksandr Poklad in Kyiv.
• But Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko remarked the pair were anticipated in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday.
• Russia's state news agency Tass remarked Witkoff and Kushner were expected to arrive in Moscow and then to Kyiv.
• Witkoff and Kushner have led US President Donald Trump's efforts to broker a peace accord, but a gulf remains between the two warring sides.

In practice, the envoys will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday in Moscow, and then will hold discussions with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday in Kyiv, Axios stated, citing US authorities.

Earlier on Friday, Zelensky remarked a Russian drone hit the office of Ukraine's security chief Oleksandr Poklad in Kyiv. Poklad appears to be unharmed.

In a post on social media, Zelensky remarked he had ordered Poklad. This person head the SBU security service, to respond "adequately" to the attack.

Witkoff and Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, have visited Russia multiple times, but the purported discussions will be the first in Ukraine.

Zelensky remarked on Thursday that "tentative dates have been set" and the US envoys would be in Kyiv "in the coming days".

But Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko remarked the pair were anticipated in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday. He continued that this would happen after their visit to Moscow on Saturday.

Russia's state news agency Tass remarked Witkoff and Kushner were "expected to arrive in Moscow and then to Kyiv. On 5-6 September", quoting a source.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov afterwards stated to journalists: "I wouldn't announce anything, but when these contacts take place, we will inform you."

Meanwhile, Putin informed an international economic forum on Thursday that "there are chances" a peace agreement could be reached.

"First of all, Moscow and Kyiv must agree between themselves, " he remarked.

But he indicated no sign of backing down from his maximalist demands. It included more territorial concessions from Ukraine.

Kyiv and its European allies have repeatedly rejected Putin's terms saying they are tantamount to capitulation.

Taken together, the developments around trump' s peace envoys to visit Moscow and Kyiv over weekend, reports say point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.