Two US peace envoys designated by President Donald Trump are scheduled to visit Ukraine on Sunday following a stop in Moscow, according to an announcement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. Jared Kushner, who serves as Trump’s son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff, a real estate businessman, are expected to undertake diplomatic discussions aimed at advancing peace negotiations. In preparation for their visit, Zelenskyy pledged to guarantee the safety of Russian airspace during the envoys’ time in Moscow and called on Russia to refrain from conducting air operations against Ukraine during the period of their negotiations. Trump stated the negotiators were dispatched as part of a broader peace initiative, while The New York Times reported that Washington has requested temporary ceasefires from both sides during the diplomatic mission.
Russia continued military operations throughout the week despite the diplomatic engagement. A Russian strike on Kamianske in southeastern Ukraine killed four people and wounded five others on Saturday, while separate attacks on various Ukrainian cities resulted in additional casualties. Most notably, a Russian drone conducted a direct strike on the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU intelligence agency on Friday, injuring at least nine people according to Kyiv’s mayor. Zelenskyy directed the SBU to mount an appropriate response, while Ukraine’s foreign minister characterized the attack as a significant escalation.
Ukrainian retaliatory operations have expanded in scope, with drone strikes targeting Russian territory including the Black Sea resort city of Sochi and nearby Sirius. Reports indicated that oil depot facilities were damaged in those attacks. The intensification of Ukrainian drone operations has prompted international aviation concerns; Air Tanzania became the first airline to suspend flights between Dar es Salaam and Moscow following Zelenskyy’s warnings about unsafe conditions over Russian airspace. Finnish authorities are investigating a Russian-made drone that appeared on shores near Helsinki.
Humanitarian infrastructure has sustained damage during ongoing hostilities. A World Health Organization warehouse containing medical supplies was struck during an attack on the Kyiv region, continuing what the WHO describes as a pattern of strikes targeting humanitarian facilities. According to WHO officials, at least 20 attacks on depots storing humanitarian goods have occurred in 2026.
Political repercussions from the conflict are also evident internationally. A French far-right politician associated with Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party suggested France would withdraw support from Ukraine if the party gained power, prompting rebuttals from centrist rivals. Meanwhile, the head of Russia’s Nobel Prize-winning human rights organization Memorial expressed concerns about potential intensified crackdowns following upcoming legislative elections.
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