Trump envoys to visit Moscow and Kyiv for peace talks

Special envoys of US President Donald Trump are traveling to Moscow and Kyiv for new consultations aimed at ending the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner confirmed they will return to Moscow and visit the Ukrainian capital for the first time. Witkoff and Kushner last visited Moscow in January for four-hour talks with President Vladimir Putin. A trip to Kyiv would be a premiere, as Ukraine has long requested such a visit, having previously viewed their repeated Moscow trips as a slight. On Thursday, Putin stated peaceful negotiation options still exist, thanking countries like the US and China, but insisted the conflict must ultimately be resolved by the warring parties themselves. Russia recently urged countries to evacuate diplomats from Kyiv and threatened intensified bombardments. On Tuesday, Moscow's troops struck near the Romanian border, destroying the Orlivka crossing point. Both sides are escalating attacks on grain ports, energy infrastructure, and warehouses, with missile and drone strikes intensifying.