Russia has attacked the airports in Kyiv and Boryspil: Zelenskyy announced a response following his visit to the US

Russia has carried out strikes on airports in Kyiv and Boryspil as preparations were underway for a visit to Ukraine by representatives of US President Donald Trump. According to Zelenskyy, Russian forces have, for the first time in a long while, deliberately attacked Ukrainian airports in the capital and in Boryspil, as stated in his post on Telegram.

The President described the incident as Moscow’s reaction to discussions regarding the possibility of US representatives using one of Kyiv’s airports.

“Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations regarding the possibility of the American side using an aircraft to arrive in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy stated.

The President noted that this involved the use of Russian and Iranian attack drones against the backdrop of US diplomatic efforts.

The Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine would adjust its operations regarding Russian airspace next week. At the same time, he emphasised that Kyiv had no intention of jeopardising diplomatic contacts.

Russian-Iranian ‘Shaheds’ in response to US diplomacy. We have taken note of this move by Russia and will adjust our operations regarding Russian airspace accordingly next week,” said the Ukrainian president.

According to him, on Ukraine’s part, “there are no threats to diplomacy, nor will there be any”.

US representatives are heading to Moscow and Kyiv

The attack came at a time when Trump’s representatives are preparing for a trip to Russia and Ukraine.

US Special Envoy Steve Whitcroft and Jared Kushner are due to visit Moscow first, before arriving in Kyiv on Sunday, 6 September. In Moscow, they plan to hold talks, after which they will continue their diplomatic mission in Ukraine. This was previously reported by American and Ukrainian sources.

This will be Whitcoff and Kushner’s first visit to Kyiv as part of the current negotiations. According to Reuters, the security of the US delegation has become a separate issue: the US is seeking guarantees from both countries, including a temporary halt to attacks during the trip.

It was previously reported that the possibility of the Americans flying directly to one of the capital’s airports – Boryspil or ‘Kyiv’ (Zhuliany) – had been discussed by the Ukrainian side. However, against the backdrop of Russian attacks and the continuing threat to airspace, the final arrangements for the trip remain a sensitive issue.

Zelenskyy proposed a temporary halt to air strikes

On the eve of the visit, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine was prepared to ensure the safety of its airspace during the American delegates’ stay. Kyiv has promised not to carry out air strikes whilst Whitcoff and Kushner are visiting and has called on Russia to do the same. This refers to a temporary pause necessary to ensure the negotiations can take place safely and to resolve logistical issues.

However, Moscow has not publicly agreed to such conditions. The Kremlin has stated that there are no specific agreements with Kyiv regarding the security of the American delegation.

A new attempt to resume negotiations

Whitcomb and Kushner’s visit follows several months of attempts to resume the negotiation process between Ukraine and Russia. The US side hopes to advance diplomatic efforts to end the war, although previous rounds of talks have failed to produce an agreement. Trump’s representatives are now due to hold meetings in both capitals to discuss possible ways out of the war.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to launch strikes against Ukraine. In recent days, Kyiv has been under attack, and on 4 September, a Russian strike targeted, in particular, the building of the Security Service of Ukraine in the capital.