Russia rejects aerial ceasefire ahead of Trump envoys' visit

Russia rejected a proposed aerial ceasefire during the upcoming visit of US President Donald Trump's envoys, as its Defense Ministry confirmed new attacks on Ukraine on the morning of September 5. This effectively dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for a halt to air strikes. The Russian Defense Ministry announced strikes on various Ukrainian regions and claimed to have hit military targets, though it provided no evidence. It also alleged that Ukrainian forces launched an aerial attack on Russian territory overnight, saying air defense downed 53 drones, also without proof. On September 4, Zelensky pledged Ukraine would ensure normal functioning of Russian airspace during the envoys' Saturday-Sunday visit to Moscow and Kyiv, urging Russia to mirror the silence. Trump stated Witkoff and Kushner are carrying a war-ending proposal, though expectations for the Moscow visit remain pessimistic.