Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly “too scared” to travel to Kyiv for peace talks throwing planned negotiations into doubt, according to a report in the Kyiv Independent.
US negotiators are expected to visit Kyiv and Moscow in the coming days as Washington seeks to revive efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky previously said.
Russia’s Tass news agency afterwards said the visit by envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner was supposed to take place on Saturday and Sunday.
The Kyiv visit has now been thrown into doubt amid claims that Witkoff is concerned about Russian warnings that he should not travel to the Ukrainian capital, the Kyiv Independent reported.
“The Russians don’t want them to come here to Kyiv, and Witkoff is always sensitive to Russian sentiment,” a source told the outlet. “They’re being told there that it’s dangerous.”
The pair were due to arrive in Kyiv by plane, with the outlet previously reporting that Witkoff does not like taking the train to Kyiv.
Zelensky previously said it was “very important” that US negotiators continue to be active in peace talks.
Fallout from ‘shameful’ shootout in Kyiv intensifies as Ukrainian intelligence service doubles down on claims
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has maintained the claims which resulted in an armed confrontation between the country’s military intelligence agency (HUR) on Wednesday.
The SBU had formally accused Stepan Kaplunov, deputy commander of the anti-Kremlin Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), of operating as an agent for Moscow’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
According to the SBU, Kaplunov was recruited to organize an FSB-ordered assassination of a prominent Russian opposition figure who was traveling to Kyiv for Ukraine’s Independence Day celebrations.
Investigators allege he was also tasked with targeting Ukrainian Defense Forces personnel in exchange for monetary compensation.
Alex Croft4 September 2026 20:02
RVC Commander denies treason, alleges coercion in SBU Detention
RVC deputy commander Stepan Kaplunov, who has been accused of acting as a Russian spy by Ukraine’s Security Service, has denied all treason allegations.
Kaplunov claimed he was abducted near his Kyiv residence on August 23 by individuals identifying as state security officers and held without formal charges for nine days.
He stated interrogators threatened that he “could completely disappear” or be “buried in a grave,” leading him to temporarily agree to their narrative regarding Russian contacts.
An official in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has corroborated Kaplunov’s claims of an unlawful abduction.
Speaking on Radio Free Europe, the agency accused SBU operatives of seizing a military intelligence combat commander in broad daylight without due process.
Alex Croft4 September 2026 19:01
Watch: Shootout erupts between Ukraine’s SBU and GUR forces in Kyiv
Alex Croft4 September 2026 18:00
Why has Russia set its sights on Germany?
Suha Kidwai writes:
The motives behind Russia’s recent hybrid attacks on Germany are partly strategic, with Moscow seeking to exploit divisions in Germany over continuing support for Kyiv, explains Ian Bond, the deputy director of The Centre for European Reform (CER),
State elections are coming up in Germany where the far-right, pro-Russia party, Alternative for Germany (AfD) are topping the polls.
“With these attacks, it seems like Putin is trying to scare Germans into voting for a party who can show that they won’t have a problem with Russia,” he said.
Mr Bond said that voters opting for a party sympathetic to the Kremlin was a “puzzle” unique to Germany, that was not replicated in eastern European states.
But Putin’s targeting of Germany is not exceptional, cautioned Mr Bond.
Several states and institutions have been subject to the Kremlin’s aggression — including Poland and the Baltic states.
“Germany is bearing the brunt of recent attacks, but there is quite a lot of this going on,” he said.
“The message of this for the rest of Europe and NATO is that, while Russia may not be strong enough to launch direct attacks, it is doing everything it can to destabilise Europe, and try to scare away support for Ukraine.”
Mr Bond warned against potential German appeasement of Putin.
“Each one hopes that if he feeds the crocodile enough, the crocodile will eat him last,” Mr Bond quoted. “Here, Putin is hoping that the rest of Europe will believe that if it feeds Ukraine to Russia — it’ll be the end of it all.”
Alex Croft4 September 2026 17:00
In pictures: Russian drone strikes Kyiv’s SBU security service headquarters
Alex Croft4 September 2026 16:00
Russian attacks kill at least 3 in Ukraine as US talks on the war are expected
Russian attacks overnight killed at least three people in Ukraine, local officials said Friday, after president Volodymyr Zelensky said US envoys are expected to visit Kyiv within the coming days as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war.
The air war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified as the conflict stretches into its fifth year following Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor. Russian forces have relentlessly struck civilian areas.
Previously, these attacks occurred mostly at night — but now they are happening during the day as well. The front line in eastern and southern Ukraine remains largely deadlocked.
Read the full report:
Russian attacks kill at least 3 in Ukraine as US talks on the war are expected
Russian attacks killed at least three people in Ukraine overnight, officials said Friday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said US envoys are expected in Kyiv within days as part of renewed diplomatic effortsAlex Croft4 September 2026 15:28
Kyiv sees Europe’s appetite for talks on frozen Russian assets – Reuters
Ukraine sees growing appetite among European allies for a serious discussion to be renewed on the use of Russian frozen assets, a senior government official has told the Reuters news agency.
The official said some allies wanted to avoid using frozen assets to keep them as a negotiating chip for future talks.
Kyiv thinks this is unnecessary and wants access to the funds now, they added.
Alex Croft4 September 2026 14:57
Russian drone strikes Kyiv headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service – Zelensky
A Russian drone attack on Friday targeted the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service in central Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
“Unfortunately, a Russian drone struck the central building of the Security Service of Ukraine on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, across from St. Sophia Cathedral,” he said on X after speaking with acting head of the service Oleksandr Poklad.
“The drone was aimed directly at the office of the head of the Security Service in that building.”
Five people were injured in the attack, the Kyiv mayor added on the Telegram app. Heavy black smoke rose from the site.
Alex Croft4 September 2026 14:29
Smoke rises in Kyiv after Russian drone attack – Reuters witness
Heavy black smoke rose in Kyiv city centre following a Russian drone attack on Friday, according to witnesses for Reuters news agency.
Ambulances were heading to the site.
We’ll bring you more on the attack as it comes in.
Alex Croft4 September 2026 14:26
Trump says Europe should repay US for Ukraine aid – ICYMI
Donald Trump said on Thursday that European countries should repay the US for military aid and ammunition previously sent to Ukraine.
He also appeared to signal a temporary halt to some US weapons sales to allies.
Trump said the US was building up its own stockpiles of munitions amid concerns over depleted supplies, particularly as the war with Iran continues.
“We are taking them for ourselves, the USA, rather than selling them to others, but the sales to Allies will soon again begin,” Trump said in a social media post.
He also said Europe should have paid for weapons provided to Ukraine and Nato, blaming the administration of his predecessor Joe Biden.
“Hundreds of Billions of Dollars was given to Ukraine and Nato, free of charge, that Europe would have paid for – If they were only asked, but we will be asking for that money, though somewhat belatedly!” Trump wrote.
The US and Nato last year established the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List initiative, under which European countries pay for US-made weapons supplied to Ukraine.
Trump’s comments came after Reuters reported last month that the US Army had used much of its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during the Iran war, raising concerns over US military readiness.
The wars in Ukraine and Iran are also creating economic and political pressure on the Trump administration, with rising energy prices a growing concern.
Alex Croft4 September 2026 13:55NewerOlder