Ukraine will not carry out air strikes against Russia whilst US President’s representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are there. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Moscow must, in turn, refrain from air strikes whilst the delegation is in Kyiv for talks and logistical arrangements; the envoys are due to arrive on 6 September following their visit to Russia.
Briefly about the main points
- Kyiv guarantees that there will be no air strikes against the Russian Federation during the US mission.
- Moscow is expected to ensure the security of the airspace over Kyiv.
- The pause is linked to the negotiations and the movements of the US delegation.
- Vitkoff and Kushner will first hold meetings in Moscow.
Security arrangements for the American delegation
Regarding the confirmed travel schedule Zelensky reported on the evening of 4 September. According to him, Kyiv has undertaken not to launch air strikes against Russian territory so that US representatives can arrive and move safely within Russian airspace. «There will be no air strikes from our side,» said the president.
The Ukrainian side expects Russia to adopt the same approach whilst the delegation is in the Ukrainian capital. This refers to the time required for the Americans’ negotiations and logistical arrangements.
Reuters, citing a source familiar with the matter, reported that Washington had sought precisely such security commitments from both sides: not to launch strikes against Moscow whilst the delegation was in Russia, and not to launch strikes against Kyiv whilst it was visiting Ukraine.
Kyiv is awaiting developments following the talks in Moscow
Following the meetings in Moscow Vitkoff і Kushner are due to arrive in Kyiv on Sunday. Ukraine is preparing for the talks and hopes to obtain information from the envoys regarding the Russian side’s position, as well as Washington’s proposals for the next stage of the diplomatic process.
President of the United States Donald Trump On 4 September, he confirmed the mission’s itinerary and said that the envoys were carrying a proposal to end the war. The details of the proposal were not made public. For Witkoff, the stop in Kyiv is set to be his first visit to Ukraine as part of the current negotiation mission.
The ceasefire does not mean a cessation of hostilities on the front line
The declared ceasefire is limited to air strikes and the safety of the diplomatic mission. It does not constitute a general ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Zelenskyy did not mention a cessation of hostilities on the land front, artillery strikes or a separate ceasefire in the Black Sea. The duration of the pause has not been set as a fixed, general timeframe: it will be determined by the time required for negotiations and the delegation’s movements.
The talks will take place against the backdrop of a sharp escalation
The US diplomatic mission is taking place following a fresh escalation in the air war.
From the very first minutes of the ceasefire, jet-powered drones have been attacking Ukraine; explosions have been heard in Kyiv and the Boryspil district, amongst other places.
