Overview
- Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) headquarters in central Kyiv was struck by a Russian drone on Sept. 4, wounding multiple people and prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to order a proportionate response.
- U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were in Moscow on Saturday and are expected in Kyiv on Sunday to deliver a U.S. peace proposal, Reuters and other outlets reported.
- Zelenskyy said Ukraine would suspend its own airstrikes for the envoys’ visit and urged Russia to reciprocate with a temporary halt to air attacks to protect the talks.
- The aerial war is intensifying with Russia using fast, jet-powered drones and both sides launching long-range strikes that killed at least four people overnight and damaged airports and civilian infrastructure.
- Major political gaps remain over territory and security guarantees, Ukraine’s airspace has been closed since 2022 which complicates travel, and failure to bridge those gaps could quickly derail negotiations or spur further attacks.