Kyiv officials say a group of U.S.-linked envoys could visit the Ukrainian capital in April as efforts to revive peace talks with Moscow remain on hold. Kyrylo Budanov, the president’s chief aide, identified Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff among those expected to travel, and said Senator Lindsey Graham was also likely to attend, while noting that final attendance will be determined closer to the date.
Budanov told Bloomberg that the meeting could occur shortly after Orthodox Easter on April 12. He framed the potential trip as part of continuing diplomatic activity aimed at restarting negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, although he gave no firm date beyond the April window.
If the visit takes place it would mark the first official trip to Kyiv for Kushner and Witkoff. Both figures have previously engaged with Ukrainian representatives in the United States, and both have traveled to Moscow for talks with Russian interlocutors. The planned Kyiv visit would represent a reciprocal step in those diplomatic contacts.
Budanov’s statement comes against the backdrop of a suspension in talks brokered by Washington to end Russia’s four-year war with Ukraine. According to the senior Ukrainian aide, those negotiations stalled after recent military actions in the Middle East - specifically, airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran - which were followed by waves of retaliatory strikes across multiple Middle Eastern states. Budanov linked the disruption in the Europe-centered dialogue directly to the escalation of regional hostilities.
At this stage, officials in Kyiv have not provided a definitive itinerary or confirmed additional participants beyond the names mentioned. The timing and composition of any delegation were described as subject to change, leaving the prospect of a mid-April meeting contingent on final arrangements and broader geopolitical developments.
Contextual note - The potential visit and any resumed talks remain provisional. Kyiv’s comments make clear there are logistical and political uncertainties to resolve before a formal delegation is announced and a meeting is convened.