Putin Does Not Want to Guarantee the Safety of Trump's Envoys During Their Visit to Ukraine, According to ISW
The Kremlin’s actions may indicate Russia’s unwillingness to guarantee the safety of the American delegation during its upcoming visit to Ukraine. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believe that Vladimir Putin’s stance demonstrates a desire to prevent full-fledged U.S. mediation in peace talks aimed at ending the war.
On September 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that U.S. presidential special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would visit Ukraine on September 6 following talks in Russia.
Russian media outlets have also confirmed reports of the U.S. delegation’s upcoming trips to Russia and Ukraine.
At the same time, according to sources, Witkoff and Kushner expressed concerns about their own safety during the trip to Ukraine.
ISW analysts point out the difference in the actions of Kyiv and Moscow.
During CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow on August 26, Ukraine ceased long-range strikes on the Moscow region.
At the same time, Vladimir Putin did not issue any orders to halt Russian strikes on Ukraine during Witkoff and Kushner’s stay in Kyiv.
The ISW believes this may have significant political implications.
“Putin’s apparent unwillingness to guarantee the safety of the American delegation in Ukraine indicates the Kremlin’s unwillingness to accept the United States as a mediator in peace talks and underscores attempts to force the U.S. to negotiate exclusively with Russia,” the analysts noted.
Donald Trump’s special representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are scheduled to hold talks in Moscow and Kyiv this weekend regarding a possible end to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
According to available information, Witkoff and Kushner will begin their trip on September 4.
On Saturday, September 5, they are scheduled to meet with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, followed by talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on September 6.
Thus, the upcoming visit by the American representatives will take place against the backdrop of a lack of public guarantees from the Kremlin regarding the delegation’s safety in Ukraine, which, according to the ISW, may indicate Russia’s unwillingness to accept the U.S. as a mediator in the peace process.
This is reported by analysts at the Institute for the Study of War.
In Kyiv, Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had proposed to Russia—the aggressor state—that it temporarily suspend airstrikes during negotiations related to possible visits by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
In the U.S., President Donald Trump stated that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are traveling abroad to try to reach a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia—the aggressor state.
