Witkoff and Kushner's First-Ever Kyiv Trip Stalls Over Security Guarantees as Russia Hits Ukraine's Spy Agency HQ

Talks to end Russia's 4.5-year invasion of Ukraine stalled in mid-February when the U.S. shifted its attention to the Iran war, and Washington has struggled since then to get both sides back to the table. That's the backdrop for the trip Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are now attempting: Moscow on Saturday, then Kyiv on Sunday, which Axios reports would be the first time either man has visited the Ukrainian capital since Trump returned to office.

But as of Friday, the itinerary wasn't locked in. Reuters reported that a source familiar with the planning said the U.S. is still seeking commitments from both Moscow and Kyiv to guarantee the envoys' safety before they travel. "The plan is to visit Moscow and Kyiv but we hear that Witkoff is nervous," the source told Reuters. "We hear the signals that Witkoff is not so sure as (he was) some days ago."

Washington reportedly wants Ukraine to hold off on striking Moscow and Russia to hold off on hitting Kyiv while the negotiators are on the ground. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Friday that the U.S. would likely demand such a pledge from Kyiv, but said there would be no direct Russia-Ukraine agreement on the matter: "No, there won't be."

A drone strike hits Ukraine's spy headquarters hours before the trip

The security concerns aren't abstract. A Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in central Kyiv on Friday, on Volodymyrska Street across from St. Sophia Cathedral, according to Zelensky's own account on Telegram. Zelensky said the strike directly targeted the personal office of the SBU chief and called it Kyiv's 10th consecutive day facing strikes on the capital.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga labeled it a "major escalation." Zelensky said he ordered the SBU to deliver an "appropriate, tangible response." Attacks on fortified government buildings in central Kyiv are rare even amid Russia's broader bombing campaign, which has increasingly relied on jet-powered drones that are harder for Ukrainian air defenses to shoot down.

In response, Zelensky proposed a mutual ceasefire specifically covering the window of the envoys' visit. "There will be no airstrikes on our part," he said, expressing hope Russia would reciprocate, according to Firstpost. He added he hopes to host Witkoff and Kushner in Kyiv in the "coming days."

Trump says he has an idea, won't say what it is

Speaking in the Oval Office Friday, Trump told reporters he's sending Witkoff and Kushner because "we have an idea for peace." He didn't elaborate on the substance of any new proposal, and per CBC, didn't confirm at that point whether the men would travel to Ukraine, Russia, or both. Trump called the pair "two great negotiators" and said "there may be a good chance that we'll do it."

This isn't the administration's first attempt to restart momentum. CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow in late August to press Russian counterparts on a settlement, according to Reuters and other outlets. Most Western intelligence officials still doubt Putin wants a near-term deal, and Ukrainian intelligence officials share that skepticism, per CBC.

A source close to the Kremlin told Reuters, speaking before the trip reports surfaced, that Putin remains intent on capturing more territory and that "there is no chance of reaching an agreement regarding the front line until Putin finishes securing the remaining part of the Donetsk region." If Moscow's own circles are saying Putin wants more ground before he'll talk seriously, then a weekend shuttle-diplomacy trip isn't going to bridge that gap on its own.

At the same time, Peskov reaffirmed Friday that Putin's core terms haven't moved: Ukraine would need to cede the entirety of four claimed regions and abandon its NATO bid, terms Kyiv has rejected as tantamount to surrender. That gulf, not just logistics, is the real obstacle facing Witkoff and Kushner this weekend.

Zelensky also warned commercial airlines this week to avoid Russian airspace, calling it too dangerous, a statement Putin characterized as a threat of "state terrorism." Whether the envoys' trip happens on schedule, whether either side actually observes a pause in strikes, and whether Trump's unspecified "idea for peace" amounts to anything more than a renewed talking point are all open questions heading into the weekend.