Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow violates Zelensky’s air truce as Trump envoys head abroad for peace talks

Donald Trump has claimed the US has “an idea for peace” as he sends his special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv for talks aimed at ending the war.

Speaking to press on Friday, the president 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.

Trump’s envoys 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 cited by Axios.

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 in his Friday evening address.

Russia nevertheless launched overnight strikes on Ukraine, killing four people and injuring five in Kamianske in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, while Russian drones also struck Kyiv and the surrounding region.

Russia ‘increasingly obstructing’ return of Ukrainian children, charity says

Russia 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

Russian 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.

Zelensky threatens ‘symmetrical’ response after SBU strike

Ukrainian 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.

Ukraine 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

Berlin 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

Four killed as Russia strikes Ukraine after ceasefire proposal

Russia 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.

Putin expected to meet Trump envoys in Moscow ahead of Kyiv visit

US 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

Ukraine’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.