Vladimir Putin’s deputy foreign minister has issued a warning to Donald Trump as envoys for the US president are believed to be heading to Moscow for talks to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
"The key question is the extent to which the US administration is prepared to invest in finding a real solution to the current crisis, considering the realities on the ground,” Sergei Ryabkov said.
This, Mr Ryabkov sought to claim, was a situation which was not developing in Kyiv's favour, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
Trump’s envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, are expected to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday before travelling to Kyiv on Sunday to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, according to US officials.
The trip comes as Russia continues its attacks despite Zelensky’s offer of a temporary air truce. “There will be no airstrikes from our side, and Russia must reciprocally ensure a period of calm, with no airstrikes on its part for as long as necessary to hold these talks,” Zelensky said on Friday.
Russia nevertheless launched overnight strikes on Ukraine, killing four people and injuring five in Kamianske in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, while Russian drones also struck Kyiv.
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Key Points
- Putin official issues warning to Trump
- Four killed as Russia strikes Ukraine after ceasefire proposal
- Putin expected to meet Trump envoys in Moscow ahead of Kyiv visit
- Russian drone strikes Ukraine ‘MI5’ headquarters ahead of US peace talks
- Ukraine says two major Russian oil facilities halted after strikes
Witkoff and Kushner land in Moscow for fresh Ukraine peace push
12:00 , Shahana YasminUS special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for talks on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the visit.
The pair were met at Moscow’s government airport by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, with a motorcade carrying all three later leaving the airport for the city, Reuters reported.
Dmitriev has taken part in Witkoff and Kushner’s previous meetings with Vladimir Putin and remained in contact with US negotiators during a pause in their Moscow visits. He also helped negotiate US sanctions waivers for Russian oil this year.
Witkoff and Kushner are expected to meet Putin before travelling to Kyiv on Sunday to meet Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump said on Friday that the envoys were carrying a new proposal to end the war, saying: “We have an idea for peace.”
Russia kills five in Ukraine as US envoys arrive in Moscow
11:15 , Shahana YasminUS envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday for talks aimed at reviving stalled efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, as fresh Russian strikes killed five people and wounded five more.
The envoys were met at the airport by Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s TASS news agency reported. They are expected to meet Vladimir Putin before travelling to Kyiv on Sunday for talks with Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 167 attack drones and ballistic missiles overnight, including around 80 jet-powered Shahed-type drones.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, five workers were killed at an industrial facility. Regional official Oleksandr Hanzha described them as “people of peaceful professions” who were “simply working their shift”.
Russian strikes also damaged a residential building in Boryspil and hit a shopping centre in Mykolaiv region, where two people were wounded.
Putin official issues warning to Trump
10:46 , Chris StevensonVladimir Putin’s deputy foreign minister has issued a warning to Donald Trump as envoys for the US president are believed to be heading to Moscow for talks to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
"The key question is the extent to which the US administration is prepared to invest in finding a real solution to the current crisis, considering the realities on the ground,” Sergei Ryabkov said.
This, Mr Ryabkov sought to claim, was a situation which was not developing in Kyiv's favour, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
The trip comes as Russia continues its attacks despite Zelensky’s offer of a temporary air truce.
Four killed, five injured in latest Russian attack on Ukraine
10:00 , Shahana YasminRussia launched fresh attacks across Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least four people and injuring five, as Kyiv called for a temporary air truce ahead of US peace talks.
In Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, a Russian strike hit an industrial facility overnight, killing four people and injuring five, Ukrainska Pravda reported. Three of those wounded were hospitalised, with one in intensive care, according to regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha.
Russian drones also struck the Kyiv region, damaging a nine-storey residential building in Boryspil and starting fires on its roof and in an apartment. Two women were injured and taken to hospital, according to the Kyiv regional authorities.
The attacks came despite Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal for a temporary halt to airstrikes while US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner travel to Moscow and Kyiv.
Plane believed to be carrying US envoys Witkoff and Kushner lands in Moscow
09:57 , Rituparna ChatterjeeA business jet believed to be carrying US president Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday, Russia's Interfax news agency reported, citing aviation sources.
On Friday, Trump said the envoys were heading abroad to attempt to reach a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine warns Russia preparing plans for northern offensive
09:45 , Shahana YasminUkraine says Russia is preparing several possible scenarios for a new offensive in the north, including towards Kyiv and Chernihiv, according to presidential aide Pavlo Palisa.
Palisa told journalists last week that Russian military leadership had been tasked with preparing the plans and that Ukrainian intelligence had verified the information through several sources. “Several options were considered,” he said, according to the Kyiv Independent.
However, he added that Ukraine was not currently detecting new Russian offensive groupings in those directions. “Our top priority is to prevent the conditions from emerging that would allow Russia to launch any offensive operations at all,” Palisa said.
Ukraine has prepared its own response, Palisa said, including plans to “defend, protect, and counter” any Russian move.
Putin’s friends finally tell him the truth: Get out of Ukraine to save yourself
09:30 , Shahana YasminAuthoritarian populists like Vladimir Putin know that when fellow anti-democrats start calling them “my friend”, the writing may be on the wall.
No wonder the Russian president shifted in his seat and tapped his feet impatiently while his erstwhile buddy, the OG populist and Hindu nationalist, Narendra Modi, gave him a mini-lecture – in public – on how he’s got to end his war against Ukraine.
The Russian president didn’t like what Narendra Modi told him but India’s PM is trying to keep the global gang together, explains world affairs editor Sam Kiley
Putin’s friends finally tell him the truth: Get out of Ukraine to save yourself
Kyiv seeks EU help as Ukraine faces €23bn defence gap
09:15 , Shahana YasminUkraine is facing a €23bn (£19.7bn) funding gap for its defence needs this year, as Kyiv warns it may have to cut non-military spending unless allies provide more support.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the EU to bring forward part of its €90bn (£77.2bn) Ukraine Support Loan, which is divided into €45bn for 2026 and €45bn for 2027. The shortfall is meant to cover weapons purchases, personnel, and social support, including around €6bn (£5.1bn) in advance payments for weapons due to be delivered early next year.
“Frontloading the EU loan is not a silver bullet,” Chentsov told Euronews, as Kyiv also seeks support from countries outside the EU.
ICYMI: Trump envoys head to Moscow for Putin peace talks
09:00 , Shahana YasminDonald Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are travelling to Moscow on Saturday for talks with Vladimir Putin before heading to Kyiv on Sunday to meet Volodymyr Zelensky, in a fresh US push to revive stalled peace efforts.
The pair are due to meet Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday, while Zelensky confirmed their Kyiv visit for Sunday, reported Axios.
Trump said the envoys were taking a proposal to end the war, telling reporters: “We have an idea for peace” and saying there was “a good chance” something could be achieved.
Zelensky has called for a temporary halt to airstrikes during the envoys’ mission, saying: “There will be no airstrikes from our side, and Russia should reciprocally ensure a period of calm.”
However, Russian attacks continued into Saturday, as a strike on Kamianske in Dnipropetrovsk region killed four people and injured five, while Russian drones also hit the Kyiv region, injuring two women in Boryspil.
This followed Friday’s Russian drone strike on the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service in central Kyiv, which injured 12 people, according to Zelensky.
Russian attacks devastate Ukraine's food distribution network
08:45 , Shahana YasminRussian attacks have destroyed around 90 per cent of the food-logistics infrastructure used by Ukraine’s retail chains, according to the country's agriculture minister.
“As of today, roughly speaking, 90 per cent of food logistics for retail chains have been destroyed, but that does not mean Ukrainians will be left without food,” Taras Vysotskyi said last week.
Vysotskyi said retailers were switching to alternative arrangements, including direct deliveries by truck, to keep food moving. “There will be no threat of hunger or systemic physical shortages of food,” he said.
Ukraine’s agriculture ministry said exports in August were running at only about a third of potential volume, while data from Spike Brokers showed total agricultural exports in the first 27 days of August had fallen 47.5 per cent from the equivalent period in July.
Russian general accused of masterminding attack on children’s hospital ‘shot in head’
08:30 , Shahana YasminA Russian general who was linked with an attack on a children’s hospital in Ukraine is seriously injured after being shot in the head, according to reports.
Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich is said to have been shot on Thursday morning in the village of Probuzhdenie near Engels, in Russia’s Saratov region.
Independent Russian outlet SotaVision said the attack was the third assassination attempt on Russian officers in the past two weeks.
Russian general accused of masterminding attack on school ‘shot in head’
Nine-storey residential building damaged in Russian attack near Kyiv
08:15 , Shahana YasminRussian drones damaged a nine-storey residential building in Boryspil, Kyiv region, during an overnight attack, setting the roof and one apartment on fire.
The Kyiv Regional Military Administration said the strike damaged the roof and upper floor of the building. “As a result of the enemy attack in Boryspil, the roof and the upper floor of a nine-story residential building were damaged. A fire broke out on the roof and in one of the apartments,” it said on Telegram, according to the Kyiv Post.
Emergency crews were sent to the scene, with initial reports indicating no casualties.
The strike came during another night of Russian drone attacks across the Kyiv region. Earlier on Friday, authorities said strikes over the previous day had damaged 34 sites across four districts, including 13 private homes, five warehouses, a business and a religious building.
Russia ‘increasingly obstructing’ return of Ukrainian children, charity says
08:00 , Shahana YasminRussia has introduced new requirements that are making it harder for Ukrainian children to leave occupied territories, according to the organisation helping coordinate their return.
“Russia has been increasingly obstructing the departure of minors by imposing additional bureaucratic requirements,” Oleksandra Dvoretska, head of policy at Bring Kids Back UA, told the Kyiv Independent.
Since the start of 2026, minors have been required to have biometric documents to leave, while children under 14 without a passport must obtain a Russian foreign passport. Previously, other documents, including birth certificates, could be used.
Despite the additional hurdles, Ukraine brought back 103 children and young people from occupied territory in August, compared with 50 in July. Dvoretska said the increase reflected greater Ukrainian capacity to organise returns, as well as more young people attempting to leave because of the risk of forced conscription.
Russia warns US it must heed ‘realities on the ground’ in Ukraine
07:39 , Shahana YasminRussian officials have struck a tough tone ahead of Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner’s expected meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday, warning that any US-led peace push must reflect Russia’s perceived gains on the battlefield.
Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told state news agency TASS: “The key question is the extent to which the US administration is prepared to invest in finding a real solution to the current crisis, considering the realities on the ground.”
He added that the situation was “shifting against Kyiv”.
Witkoff and Kushner are due to meet Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday before travelling to Kyiv on Sunday for talks with Volodymyr Zelensky. The visit is Washington’s latest attempt to revive negotiations, which stalled earlier this year.
In pictures: Aftermath of Russian drone attack near Kyiv
07:30 , Shahana Yasmin
Zelensky threatens ‘symmetrical’ response after SBU strike
07:15 , Shahana YasminUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine has decided where it will retaliate after a Russian drone struck the headquarters of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in central Kyiv.
“The geography of our response has been determined. The timing will be chosen to ensure results,” Zelensky said in a post on Telegram on Friday after meeting acting SBU head Oleksandr Poklad, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Zelensky had earlier instructed Poklad to prepare an “appropriate, tangible response” and, where possible, one that “mirrors this strike”. The SBU said the damaged headquarters would be repaired and warned that Russia would receive a “painful response”, including more special operations and attacks on Russian targets.
The Russian drone hit Poklad’s office in the SBU headquarters on Friday, although the acting SBU chief was not there at the time. At least 12 people were injured in the attack, according to Kyiv authorities.
07:00 , Shahana YasminUkraine war disrupts Black Sea grain trade, pushing up prices
Attacks on ships and port infrastructure in the Black Sea are disrupting grain exports from Russia and Ukraine, with the impact now being felt in global food markets.
Asian wheat buyers have recently purchased at least 500,000 tonnes from Australia and Argentina to replace delayed Russian and Ukrainian shipments. Some are paying more than $300 (£221) a tonne for alternative supplies, compared with roughly $260-$280 (£191-£206) for Black Sea wheat.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Friday that global food prices reached their highest level since November 2022 in August. Its cereals index rose 2.2 per cent month-on-month, with the FAO citing “continued uncertainty surrounding Black Sea export flows” among the factors behind the increase.
Germany once cosied up to Putin. Now they are Russia’s public enemy number one in Europe
06:45 , Shahana YasminBerlin accused Moscow of being behind a recent drone attack at an airport in Leipzig. Experts tell Suha Kidwai that the Kremlin’s hybrid attacks are a deliberate ploy to destabilise the biggest economy in Europe ahead of key elections
Germany once cosied up to Putin. Now they are Russia’s public enemy number one
Four killed as Russia strikes Ukraine after ceasefire proposal
06:30 , Shahana YasminRussia killed four people in an overnight attack on the city of Kamianske in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, hours after Kyiv proposed a temporary ceasefire during US-led peace talks.
Regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said Russian forces used missiles, drones, and artillery in attacks across the region overnight and into Saturday morning.
Five people were also injured, with three taken to hospital, including a 30-year-old woman in intensive care, the Kyiv Independent reported.
An industrial facility was hit in Kamianske, although Hanzha did not give details of the target. Ukraine’s Air Force had earlier warned that Russian ballistic missiles were heading towards the city.
The attack came hours after Ukraine ordered its forces to observe a temporary ceasefire to coincide with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner’s visits to Moscow and Kyiv.
Zelensky says he receives information about first airlines refusing flights to Russia
06:15 , Shahana YasminPutin expected to meet Trump envoys in Moscow ahead of Kyiv visit
06:00 , Shahana YasminUS president Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday before travelling to Kyiv for talks with Zelensky on Sunday.
The pair will meet Putin at the Kremlin before their planned Kyiv visit, reported Axios, citing US officials. The trip would be their first to Ukraine since Trump returned to office.
The visit comes after months of stalled US-mediated negotiations, as talks between Russia and Ukraine were paused in February after the Iran war began, while Putin has rejected several proposals for a three-way summit with Trump and Zelensky.
Zelensky confirmed the planned meetings, saying: “It is important that America remain actively engaged. We are ready to meet with them in Ukraine – properly and substantively.”
Russia has continued to insist on territorial concessions from Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has described Moscow’s position on territory and NATO membership as “unshakeable”.
Russian drone strikes Ukraine ‘MI5’ headquarters ahead of US peace talks
05:45 , Shahana YasminUkraine’s security service headquarters was set alight after a Russian drone struck it ahead of diplomatic talks with US officials on ending the war.
Smoke could be seen above the SBU headquarters in Kyiv on Friday after a drone targeted the office of the acting head of the security service, Oleksandr Poklad, who was unscathed following the attack.
Russian drone strikes Ukraine ‘MI5’ headquarters ahead of US peace talks
WHO says warehouse storing vital medical supplies destroyed in Ukraine
05:30 , Shahana YasminA World Health Organization warehouse storing humanitarian medical supplies was destroyed in an air attack in Kyiv Oblast early on Thursday, with the UN agency warning of a growing pattern of attacks on facilities supporting Ukraine’s healthcare system.
“Access to the site remains restricted due to heavy smoke and safety concerns, while assessments of possible damage and stock losses are ongoing. No WHO personnel were affected,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told Reuters.
The WHO said the strike was the third attack affecting one of its warehouses in Ukraine in three months. A warehouse in Dnipro was destroyed in August, destroying half the medical supplies and equipment intended for about 225,000 people in frontline and hard-to-reach areas.
According to the WHO, at least 20 attacks have affected humanitarian-supply warehouses across Ukraine this year, including 15 involving facilities storing health-related supplies.
Air Tanzania to resume Moscow flights after brief suspension
05:15 , Shahana YasminAir Tanzania briefly suspended its Dar es Salaam-Moscow service on Friday, citing safety concerns amid a surge in Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia.
The airline said the decision, which had been due to affect flights from Friday, followed “a routine risk assessment of the operating environment along the route”. This came after an Air Tanzania flight from Zanzibar to Moscow was diverted to St Petersburg on 3 September because of an airspace closure around Moscow.
However, the airline reversed the suspension within hours, saying flights would resume on 7 September.
Russian drones hit Coca-Cola plant outside Kyiv, says Zelensky
05:00 , Shahana YasminUkraine says two major Russian oil facilities halted after strikes
04:45 , Shahana YasminTwo major Russian oil facilities have halted operations following Ukrainian strikes, Ukraine’s General Staff said on Friday.
Lukoil’s NORSI refinery in Kstovo, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, was forced to stop operating after a Ukrainian drone strike on 26 August. The refinery is around 800km from the Ukrainian border and is Russia’s fourth-largest oil refinery.
The General Staff also said the Novatek-Ust-Luga complex in the Leningrad region had suspended operations after a strike earlier this week. It said pipelines, a gas-condensate processing unit, and two hydrocracking columns were damaged, with oil-product spills and a fire also reported.
ICYMI: Trump envoys head to Moscow and Kyiv with peace proposal
04:30 , Shahana YasminUS special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are heading to Moscow and Kyiv in a fresh attempt by Donald Trump’s administration to revive efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump told reporters on Friday: “We have an idea for peace”, adding that Witkoff and Kushner were being sent to see “whether or not we can get something done” and that “there may be a good chance that we’ll do it”.
The pair are expected to visit Moscow first before travelling to Kyiv on Sunday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed. It will be their first visit to Ukraine, while Witkoff has travelled to Moscow several times.
Zelensky calls for temporary air truce during US envoys’ visit
04:15 , Shahana YasminUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a temporary halt to airstrikes while US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visit Moscow and Kyiv, saying Ukraine will not launch attacks during the diplomatic mission.
“There will be no air strikes from our side, and Russia must do the same, ensuring there are no air strikes from its side for the time needed to hold these talks and handle the logistical matters related to this American visit,” Zelensky said in his evening address on Friday.
Zelensky said the envoys would travel to Moscow before heading to Kyiv on Sunday.
Russia attacks Kyiv despite reported ceasefire, injuring two
03:57 , Shahana YasminRussian drones struck Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight, with at least two people injured despite a reported ceasefire.
Two women were hurt and taken to hospital in Boryspil, around 29km east of Kyiv, according to regional authorities, reported the Kyiv Independent. A nine-storey residential building was also damaged, with its roof and top floor catching fire.
The attacks continued into the early hours of Saturday after the ceasefire was said to have begun ahead of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner’s visit to Ukraine and Russia.
Air-raid warnings were issued repeatedly across Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast through the night, while explosions were reported in the capital. Russian drones and glide bombs also targeted several other Ukrainian cities and frontline areas.
Trump says Europe should repay US for Ukraine aid - ICYMI
03:00 , Alex CroftDonald 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.
Russian drone strikes Ukraine ‘MI5’ headquarters ahead of US peace talks
02:00 , Bryony GoochRussian drone strikes Ukraine ‘MI5’ headquarters ahead of US peace talks
Kyiv sees Europe's appetite for talks on frozen Russian assets - Reuters
01:00 , Alex CroftUkraine 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.
Watch: Zelensky says he receives information about first airlines refusing flights to Russia
Saturday 5 September 2026 00:01 , Alex CroftFinland investigating surveillance drone near south coast
Friday 4 September 2026 23:00 , Alex CroftFinland has said it is investigating whether a surveillance drone on the shore of its south coast has violated the Nordic country’s territory.
An investigation launched by the Border Guard authority seeks to determine where, when and how the aircraft entered Finnish territory and how it possibly crossed Finland's border.
Preliminary examination suggests the aircraft is a Geoscan 701 type drone, which is used by both state and civilian actors.
European country’s have repeatedly alleged drone incursions related to the Russia-Ukraine war in the past year, but the Border Guard said it could not confirm the drone's origin, operator or purpose at this stage.
The drone was intended for surveying and mapping and did not pose a danger to the public, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.
Two police officers killed in Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk, say Ukrainian authorities
Friday 4 September 2026 22:01 , Alex CroftTwo police officers have been killed in a Russian attack on the Dnipropetrovsk region, local authorities have said.
Another officer was injured in the drone strike on the Pavlohrad district.
“Two people died . One more person was injured. The enemy attacked 2 districts of the region with drones and artillery more than 10 times,” said Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration.
"The enemy targeted the Bohdanivka hromada [administrative area] in the Pavlohrad district.
“A fire broke out and a car was damaged. Two police officers were killed. Another is in hospital in a critical condition."
Witkoff, Kushner heading abroad to discuss Ukraine peace, Trump says
Friday 4 September 2026 21:10 , Bryony GoochSpecial envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, are heading abroad to attempt to forge a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, the US president told reporters on Friday.
During comments in the Oval Office, Trump suggested the US had a fresh concrete proposal aimed at ending the war, which is now in its fifth year. He did not, however, elaborate on what that proposal would be, nor did he say if Witkoff and Kushner would be traveling to Ukraine, Russia or both nations.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday said the two men would fly to Ukraine on Sunday after visiting Moscow.
"We have an idea for peace," Trump said.
"I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators. They've done a great job, and we sent them over to see whether or not we can get something done. And there may be a good chance that we'll do it."
The duo had been planning to travel to Moscow over the weekend followed by a visit to Kyiv, two sources previously told Reuters. However, the itinerary has been in flux in recent days, and the Kyiv section of the journey was still not completely certain, one of the sources said on Friday.
The Trump administration's attempts to settle the war in Ukraine have largely come to nothing, and negotiations stalled out in recent months.
In late August, CIA director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow in part to press counterparts there to consider a settlement, Reuters and several other media outlets reported.
Most Western intelligence officials doubt Russian President Vladimir Putin is interested in a short-term deal, while Ukrainian intelligence believes he is in fact likely to escalate, rather than de-escalate the war in the near term.
A Russian drone hit the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in Kyiv on Friday in one of the most high-profile targets struck during the war.
Witkoff, who is effectively the lead US negotiator with respect to the war in Ukraine, has traveled to Moscow numerous times but has not yet visited Ukraine.
Russian general accused of masterminding attack on children’s hospital ‘shot in head’
Friday 4 September 2026 21:01 , Alex CroftA Russian general who was linked with an attack on a children’s hospital in Ukraine is seriously injured after being shot in the head, according to reports.
Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich is said to have been shot on Thursday morning in the village of Probuzhdenie near Engels, in Russia’s Saratov region.
Independent Russian outlet SotaVision said the attack was the third assassination attempt on Russian officers in the past two weeks.
Russian online newspaper Mash reported that the shooter rode up to a private home on a motorcycle and fired one bullet in the torso and one in the face. The air force officer’s driver was also reportedly shot but was able to call an ambulance.
Varpakhovich is believed to be in a critical condition in hospital, Mash reported.
Read more here:
Russian general accused of masterminding attack on school ‘shot in head’
Fallout from 'shameful' shootout in Kyiv intensifies as Ukrainian intelligence service doubles down on claims
Friday 4 September 2026 20:02 , Alex CroftUkraine’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.
RVC Commander denies treason, alleges coercion in SBU Detention
Friday 4 September 2026 19:01 , Alex CroftRVC 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.
Watch: Shootout erupts between Ukraine’s SBU and GUR forces in Kyiv
Friday 4 September 2026 18:00 , Alex CroftWhy has Russia set its sights on Germany?
Friday 4 September 2026 17:00 , Alex CroftSuha 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.”
In pictures: Russian drone strikes Kyiv's SBU security service headquarters
Friday 4 September 2026 16:00 , Alex Croft
Russian attacks kill at least 3 in Ukraine as US talks on the war are expected
Friday 4 September 2026 15:28 , Alex CroftRussian 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
Kyiv sees Europe's appetite for talks on frozen Russian assets - Reuters
Friday 4 September 2026 14:57 , Alex CroftUkraine 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.
Russian drone strikes Kyiv headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service - Zelensky
Friday 4 September 2026 14:29 , Alex CroftA 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.
I spoke with the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Oleksandr Poklad. Unfortunately, a Russian drone struck the central building of the Security Service of Ukraine on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, across from St. Sophia Cathedral. All emergency services are on the scene.…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 4, 2026
Smoke rises in Kyiv after Russian drone attack - Reuters witness
Friday 4 September 2026 14:26 , Alex CroftHeavy 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.
Trump says Europe should repay US for Ukraine aid - ICYMI
Friday 4 September 2026 13:55 , Alex CroftDonald 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.
Discussions on US negotiators going to Ukraine are ongoing - Reuters
Friday 4 September 2026 13:29 , Alex CroftDiscussions on US negotiators going to Ukraine are ongoing, and the teams have spoken about September 6 as a possible date, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters news agency.
Russian news agency TASS reported earlier that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would visit Russia and Ukraine on Saturday and Sunday.
Friday 4 September 2026 13:07 , Alex Croft
Ukrainian drone attack kills two in Russia's Bryansk, says local governor
Friday 4 September 2026 12:45 , Alex CroftA Ukrainian drone attack killed two people in Russia's western Bryansk region, the region's acting governor Yegor Kovalchuk said on Telegram on Friday.
We’ll bring you more on the attack as it comes in.
German police report sabotage attempt on electricity grid - Bild
Friday 4 September 2026 12:23 , Alex CroftAn attempt has been made to short-circuit an electricity grid transformer south of Duesseldorf in western Germany, according to police, the newspaper Bild reported on Friday, heightening a state of alert after two suspected sabotage attempts this week.
Police received a letter claiming responsibility for the incident in Dormagen as well as vandalism at a substation in nearby Bergheim that took 4,200 megawatts in generating capacity offline on Tuesday.
Germany has been the focus of European fears about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure this week.
Allies rallied round after Germany blamed a drone attack in August at Leipzig/Halle airport on Moscow as part of hybrid warfare meant to intimidate and divide countries that have supported Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Russia has dismissed the allegations as baseless.
With Reuters
