US envoys Witkoff, Kushner expected to visit Kyiv in August, media reports
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U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to visit Kyiv in the second half of August, a senior correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) reported on July 30, citing sources familiar with the plans.
Senior Washington Correspondent Alex Raufoglu reported that U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys are expected to visit the Ukrainian capital to align with celebrations marking the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union.
The Kyiv Independent has reached out to the White House for confirmation.
Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S. Olha Stefanishyna told reporters earlier in the day on July 30 that while the intention is for the envoys to travel to Kyiv, a date for their visit has not yet been confirmed.
If confirmed, the visit would mark the first time either envoy has traveled to Ukraine. The planned visit was reportedly brokered during President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on July 28. People familiar with the discussions told the Kyiv Independent that while the meeting produced few tangible results for Kyiv, one breakthrough may have been persuading Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to visit the Ukrainian capital.
Ahead of the conversation with Trump, Zelensky also recently held a call with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to talk about renewed peace efforts.
Despite repeated trips to Russia, the envoys have yet to visit Kyiv. Zelensky previously said the pair may visit Ukraine in late spring or early summer.
Witkoff and Kushner last visited Moscow on Jan. 22 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, failing to achieve a breakthrough toward a final settlement. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said in May that the envoys may visit Moscow in the near future to continue dialogue with the Russian side.
Conservative commentator Laura Loomer, following a trip to Ukraine, also raised the prospects of a visit directly with Trump during a phone call from Kyiv.
"If other high-level diplomats could come here, (Witkoff and Kushner) could too," Loomer told Trump.
The latest reports come amid an apparent thaw in the U.S. government's attitude towards Ukraine.
Following months of uncertainty and stalled diplomacy, Trump said earlier this month for the first time that Washington would grant Ukraine licenses to produce their own Patriot interceptors. The announcement, delivered alongside Zelensky at the NATO summit in Turkey, marked a crucial win for Ukraine as it faces a shortage of effective defensive weapons against Russian ballistic missiles.
Additional progress was made for Kyiv earlier this week when the U.S. Senate voted to advance the Russian sanctions bill championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, which aims to cut off revenues from Moscow's war chest by targeting countries that buy Russian oil and gas.
