Kushner and Witkoff to discuss ‘new’ peace plan with Ukrainian delegation, source says

Oct. 9, 2026, 7:23 AM EDT / Updated Oct. 9, 2026, 7:30 AM EDTUkrainian negotiators heading to the U.S. for talks to end the war with Russia will be presented with a comprehensive new plan in an effort to break the impasse, according to a senior administration official.The talks led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are the latest attempt to negotiate a settlement amid intensifying deadly aerial attacks on both sides of the border. The discussions will center on “a new, unified proposal that is focused on all aspects of the conflict to try to end the war,” the senior administration official told NBC News Thursday evening. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian delegation will travel to the U.S. for two days of talks starting Friday, and include the head of the country’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Rustem Umerov, and the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov. Zelenskky acknowledged a possible new phase in the negotiations.“We see on the part of the United States of America, an intensification of talks and meetings,” he told reporters, without mentioning any new proposals. “I myself have spoken with the American side three times in recent days, and I hope for a good result from our negotiators’ meeting.”President Donald Trump vowed to swiftly end the conflict that began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. Despite numerous meetings and talks to broker a ceasefire since he took office, the two sides have been locked in a stalemate over the industrial region of Donbas in Ukraine’s east. A multi-floor residential building destroyed following a Russian aerial strike in Pryluky, northern Ukraine, on Wednesday.Genya Savilov / AFP via GettyRussian President Vladimir Putin has said that he wants to seize the entire region, parts of which Kyiv’s forces still hold. Zelenskyy has ruled out ceding this territory, arguing that Putin could use it as a base to again attack Ukraine. Russia currently occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. Secretary Marco Rubio warned Thursday that stalemates are “very dangerous” because they either end in a negotiated settlement or escalation. In the context of Ukraine that “could wind up being a sabotage campaign in neighboring countries that are members of NATO,” he said. European leaders are growing increasingly concerned about Russia escalating and expanding the conflict onto the continent. “In the end, we do not believe that there is a military solution to this conflict, to this war, we think this war needs to end in a negotiated settlement,” Rubio said. “The sooner, the better.”In separate comments to Greek newspaper Kathimerini, Rubio said “there don’t seem to be prospects of a negotiated settlement” on peace in Ukraine right now. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded by saying he agreed with the secretary’s assessment, Russian state news agency Tass reported.Putin hosts a meeting with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on Sept. 5.Gavriil Grigorov / AFP via GettyThe U.S. diplomatic efforts to end the war were revived last month when Witkoff and Kushner travelled to Moscow and, for the first time, Kyiv. No major breakthroughs were announced.The White House has previously repeated some of Putin’s hardlines demands and tried to push Kyiv for concessions. Putin explained the invasion by saying Russia was trying to demilitarize Ukraine, and overthrow what he called Kyiv’s “Nazi ideology” driven government — a common Kremlin propaganda line.What was supposed to be a swift military operation to topple Zelenskyy and replace him with a pro-Kremlin government quickly foundered, leaving the capture of Donbas as his only option to claim a significant victory in Ukraine.