Up First from NPR
Up First from NPR

Negotiators to Moscow and Kyiv, Judge Issues Order on Arch, Western Wildfires

September 5, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Russian president is said to be feeling emboldened. President Trump wants his arch. And eight million acres of fire in the American West this year. The September 5, 2026 edition of NPR’s Up First covers three distinct developments: a renewed U.S. diplomatic push to end the war in Ukraine, a legal standoff over a planned 250-foot arch near the National Mall, and the grim toll of a wildfire season that has already burned more land than any year in over a decade.

Envoys Head to Moscow and Kyiv as War Intensifies

President Trump announced he is reviving efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, sending his son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff to both Moscow and Kyiv. The trip had been rumored for months and repeatedly postponed while the two were deeply involved in negotiations over Iran, Israel, and Gaza. Their re-engagement on Ukraine now comes as the character of the war is changing. CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently visited Moscow for brief talks with his Russian counterparts, and the prevailing view is that the U.S. is concerned the conflict is about to escalate further.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:02) **Episode Open** - Hosts preview provocations across Europe, Trump's arch plans, and Western wildfires.
  • 2 (01:58) **Trump Sends Envoys to Moscow and Kyiv** - President Trump announces he's reviving efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine by sending Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff as negotiators.
  • 3 (04:04) **Russia's Sabotage Campaign in Europe** - A spate of sabotage incidents across Europe, including a confirmed drone attack on a German airport, raises questions about Russian provocation of NATO.
  • 4 (05:47) **Judge Orders Halt on Trump's 250-Foot Arch** - A judge has ordered the Trump administration to give 48 hours notice before doing anything other than on-site information gathering on the proposed arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
  • 5 (07:08) **Who Is Fighting the Arch and Why** - Historic preservation experts and three Vietnam War veterans have sued, arguing the arch would desecrate Arlington National Cemetery and requires Congressional approval.
  • 6 (09:14) **Political Timing of the Arch** - Government lawyers say work will start no sooner than September 21st, and any affected natural resources would be restored by the end of October, just before the midterm elections.
  • 7 (10:11) **Brutal Wildfire Season in the American West** - More than eight million acres have burned this summer, the most land in more than a decade, with seven wildland firefighters dead and hundreds of homes burned.

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Guests on this episode

Jared Kushner Steve Witkoff John Ratcliffe Vladimir Putin Volodymyr Zelenskyy Doug Burgum

Show Notes

U.S. envoys arrived in Moscow today to revive efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The administration is rushing to build a triumphal arch overlooking Arlington National Cemetery despite legal efforts to stop it. Wildfires have burned more than 8,000,000 acres this season. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

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