Senior U.S. envoys arrived in Moscow on Saturday in a bid to revive stalled peace negotiations aimed at ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, more than six months after the last round of talks ended without resolution. The delegation, led by Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s peace envoy, and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, arrived amid ongoing escalations in airstrikes by both Russian and Ukrainian forces.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine confirmed that U.S. envoys would hold meetings both in Moscow and Kyiv, emphasizing the importance of continued American engagement. “We are ready to meet with them in Ukraine — properly and substantively,” he said, signaling Kyiv’s willingness to resume dialogue.
Kyrylo Budanov, who headed the Ukrainian delegation during prior discussions, indicated that negotiations brokered by the Trump administration are expected to resume by late September, shortly after Russia’s parliamentary elections and prior to the U.S. midterm elections.
Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the two sides have engaged in several negotiation attempts, but progress has been limited. The most recent high-level discussions began shortly after President Trump took office in January 2025. The last face-to-face talks took place in February, with meetings held in Abu Dhabi and Geneva. Those sessions ended inconclusively and were later overshadowed by conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran, redirecting the Trump administration’s focus.
Key issues have hindered breakthroughs, particularly concerning a 20-point peace proposal covering security guarantees and reconstruction efforts. Central disputes remain over the potential presence of Western military forces in Ukraine, control of territory in the contested eastern regions, and the administration of a Russian-occupied nuclear power plant. Russia insists on Ukraine ceding control of territory in the Donetsk region as a precondition for peace, a demand that Kyiv has rejected, warning that such a concession could encourage further aggression.
The United States has served as the principal mediator, but European leaders, concerned about being sidelined by the Trump administration, are seeking a greater role in shaping the outcome. European officials recently outlined plans for a negotiation framework led by France, Germany, and Britain to ensure their interests are represented, reflecting a desire for greater involvement in Europe's security future.
On the ground, the conflict remains largely frozen along a front stretching hundreds of miles in eastern Ukraine. The devastated conflict zone has transformed into a dangerous no-man’s-land dominated by drone warfare, making ground troop movement highly risky. As a result, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified airstrike campaigns targeting civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, commercial warehouses, and key ports essential to grain exports, leading to significant destruction far from the contested front lines.