Witkoff thanks Putin for ceasefire during Moscow visit as US diplomats push Ukraine peace talks

US special envoy Steve Witkoff touched down in Moscow on September 5 and did something that would have been unthinkable in a prior administration: he publicly thanked Vladimir Putin for announcing a ceasefire. The three-day pause in fighting, running from September 5 through September 8, was timed specifically to coincide with the American diplomatic visit, a fact the Kremlin was happy to advertise.

Witkoff was not traveling alone. Jared Kushner joined him on the trip. The pair are expected to meet with Putin before heading to Kyiv on September 6, where they would engage with Ukrainian leaders for the first time since the conflict’s most recent escalation.

A ceasefire designed for the cameras, or something more

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov drew a direct line between the ceasefire and the envoys’ arrival. The pause was framed not as a humanitarian gesture but as a diplomatic courtesy, a way to create space for the Americans to do their work.

The ceasefire came after a period of intensified violence on both sides. Russian forces had escalated attacks while Ukraine responded with counterstrikes targeting energy infrastructure.

Witkoff’s frequent flyer status with the Kremlin

This is far from Witkoff’s first trip to Russia. By late 2025, the envoy had already made at least six visits focused on the Ukraine peace process. His primary counterpart on the Russian side has been Kirill Dmitriev, and together they have been working to establish a framework for some kind of negotiated settlement.

Adding Kushner to the delegation introduces another layer. Kushner’s previous diplomatic portfolio, most notably the Abraham Accords in the Middle East, gives him a track record the White House can point to.

The shuttle diplomacy gambit

The plan to travel from Moscow to Kyiv on September 6 is notable. The fact that Witkoff and Kushner are attempting shuttle diplomacy suggests direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv remain out of reach.

This would mark the envoys’ first engagement with Ukrainian leaders since the conflict’s most recent escalation. While Witkoff has been a regular presence in Moscow, the Kyiv leg of this diplomacy has been conspicuously absent.

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