Trump envoys arrive in Moscow ahead of Ukraine talks, reports say

Two of US President Donald Trump's top envoys have arrived in Moscow, Russian media has remarked, ahead of a weekend of negotiations aimed at accelerating efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

Key points

• US news outlet Axios documented the US envoys would separately meet both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
• Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were due in the Russian capital on Saturday, where they will hold discussions before travelling to Kyiv on Sunday for discussions with Ukraine.
• Ukraine's airspace has been closed since Russia introduced its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
• Neither Washington nor the Kremlin confirmed the envoys' arrival, but flight tracking data indicated a US administration plane landing at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport after flying from Helsinki, Finland.
• Witkoff and Kushner have travelled to Moscow on multiple occasions since Trump returned to office, but Sunday would be their first visit to Kyiv.

Trump remarked to journalists on Friday the pair were "bringing with them a proposal to end the war". So far, efforts from the US and its allies to broker a peace accord have failed to deliver a breakthrough.

Neither Washington nor the Kremlin confirmed the envoys' arrival, but flight tracking data indicated a US administration plane landing at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport after flying from Helsinki, Finland. Data indicated it had flown into Europe from the US earlier in the day.

Witkoff and Kushner have travelled to Moscow on multiple occasions since Trump returned to office, but Sunday would be their first visit to Kyiv. Delegations from Ukraine have attended discussions in the US over the past 18 months.

Zelensky remarked on Saturday that Russia had fired "demonstrative" strikes on airports in Kyiv and Boryspil overnight ahead of his planned gathering with the US.

Ukraine's president continued: "Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the US side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine and land at Kyiv Airport or Boryspil Airport."

Zelensky remarked on Friday he would guarantee the safety of Russian airspace during the envoys' visit and called on Russia to do the same for Ukraine.

He additionally stated an overnight Russian strike on a civilian building in the Dnipro region killed four individuals and injured five others.

Witkoff and Kushner's visit to Moscow comes just over a week after a rare visit to the Russian capital by the head of the CIA, John Ratcliffe.

There was no official comment from Washington or the Kremlin on what was discussed. Speaking last week, Trump described the session as "semi-routine".

Last year, the US, Ukraine and Russia separately suggested that a accord to end the war was edging closer after a flurry of discussions brokered by the Americans.

European allies additionally held negotiations in Paris but discussions ultimately concluded without a breakthrough. Key disagreements remain between the warring sides on problems such as territory and security guarantees for Ukraine.

In recent months, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified their aerial attacks as fighting continues.

While Kyiv has focused its strikes on Russian economic infrastructure targets, ukraine remarked it has struggled to repel attacks due to a lack of interceptor missiles.

In short, trump envoys arrive in Moscow ahead of Ukraine talks, reports say is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.