The Kremlin believes there are “extremely low” chances for a diplomatic breakthrough during the upcoming visit of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow, Bloomberg reported on Saturday, Sept. 5.
According to sources close to the Russian leadership, previous trips by US negotiators failed to yield tangible results, and Moscow does not expect the envoys to present proposals the Kremlin would consider acceptable this time.
The sources indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains willing to discuss ending the war only on Russia’s terms. Furthermore, Moscow is reportedly hardening its demands, believing it currently holds a tactical advantage on the battlefield.
A key, non-negotiable requirement for the Kremlin remains the full transfer of the Donetsk region to Russian control – a condition Ukraine has consistently and categorically rejected.
It remains unclear whether Witkoff and Kushner are carrying new, specific concessions that could move the stalled negotiations forward.
Trump confirms peace proposal amid diplomatic hurdles
The outlook from Moscow follows US President Donald Trump’s confirmation that Witkoff and Kushner are traveling to both Russia and Ukraine with a concrete proposal aimed at ending the war.
During a White House press conference on Friday, Sept. 4, Trump attributed the stalled diplomatic process to personal animosity between the two national leaders, stating that Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky “really hate each other.”
Trump reiterated that he had “an idea of peace” and claimed the current war should have been resolved earlier, while also asserting – without providing independent verification – that the two nations had suffered a combined 32,000 casualties in the past week alone.
Zelensky confirmed on Friday that his team had received the envoys’ itinerary directly from the US presidential office and that the meeting is scheduled for Sunday in Kyiv, following the envoys’ meetings in Moscow.
Zelensky noted that Ukraine is preparing to ensure the normal functioning of its airspace to allow the negotiators to arrive safely.
However, the logistics of the Kyiv visit remain tense. Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko previously claimed a Russian drone recently struck Kyiv’s Zhulyany Airport, speculating it was a signal from Putin opposing the negotiations.
Moscow has worked to disrupt the Kyiv leg of the trip and has refused to commit to pausing its ongoing aerial strikes on Ukraine during the envoys’ visit.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated last week that peace negotiations remain on “a deep pause,” though Putin signaled a slight shift in tone on Sept. 2, suggesting prospects for an agreement still existed provided Ukraine cedes the entire Donbas region.