President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian airstrikes prevented Donald Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner from flying into Kyiv on September 6, forcing them to arrive by train instead despite fully prepared Ukrainian airports.
United States presidential negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv for their first visit to Ukraine on Sunday, September 6. The high-stakes diplomatic mission immediately ran into the realities of ongoing aerial bombardment, altering how the American delegation entered the capital.
Airports Prepared for US Envoys While Russian Strikes Hit Kyiv and Boryspil
Ukrainian authorities had made full arrangements to welcome the American envoys at an airport in Kyiv, but targeted Russian attacks rendered the airfields unusable for the incoming delegation.
Unfortunately, the Russians showed with their strikes that they cannot land, cannot use a plane, although we prepared everything, our airports are working Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, via Pravda
The Russian military launched demonstrative strikes targeting airports in both Kyiv and Boryspil. Before the envoys reached the city center, an attack in the Solomianskyi district of Kyiv caused a fire in a non-residential area on September 4, with local media and reporting outlets suggesting a drone may have targeted the Zhuliany airport.
Rail Arrival and Moscow Talks Preceding the Kyiv Visit
Because flying became impossible under the threat of incoming missiles and drones, Witkoff and Kushner completed the final leg of their journey by train. Ukrainian officials met the American delegation at the Kyiv railway station, including the head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Budanov, his deputy Sergiy Kyslytsya, Foreign Intelligence Service head Rustem Umerov, and Servant of the People faction leader Davyd Arakhamia, before the envoys traveled by motorcade to Sophia Square.
The visit to Ukraine immediately followed a lengthy stop in Moscow. On September 5, Witkoff and Kushner met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin for talks lasting more than three hours. Kremlin aides reported that the American special envoys presented their thoughts on potential paths toward ending the war. Meanwhile, the White House characterized those discussions as substantive
and promised to announce subsequent steps in the coming weeks.
Stalled Diplomatic Momentum and Continued Military Objectives
Despite the diplomatic outreach from Washington, reporting indicates that the Kremlin remains firm on its military objectives. Putin told the American envoys of his confidence in achieving the goals of the war, insisting that Russia will halt fighting only on its own terms. Sources close to the Kremlin noted that Moscow’s demands are hardening due to a perceived military advantage over Ukraine.
Ahead of the negotiations with the American envoys, Putin maintained expectations of seizing additional territory, with projections indicating an ambition to capture the Donbas region before the end of 2026.
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