Putin has ordered a three-day halt to Russian strikes on Kyiv as US envoys Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow for talks.
Zelenskyy announced Ukraine would suspend its own airstrikes during the American envoys’ visit, urging Russia to reciprocate the move during negotiations.
The Moscow talks are part of Washington’s renewed efforts to revive stalled negotiations, with territory and NATO ties remaining key disputes.
Putin Orders 3-day Halt To Strikes On Kyiv As US Envoys Arrive For Peace Talks
Putin orders a three-day halt to strikes on Kyiv as Trump envoys Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Moscow to revive stalled Ukraine peace talks
Summary
President Vladimir Putin has ordered a three-day halt to Russian strikes on Kyiv from September 5 as US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday. The two are expected to discuss the Ukraine war with Putin as part of Washington’s latest push to end the conflict.
Witkoff and Kushner landed in Moscow for talks with Putin after renewed US efforts to revive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Putin’s order followed a public move from Kyiv a day earlier.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had announced that Ukraine would also suspend its own airstrikes during the US visit and asked Russia to mirror that step. Zelenskyy wrote on X, “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.”
Zelenskyy’s Reciprocal Move
A day before Putin’s order, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would stop its own airstrikes during the visit of Witkoff and Kushner. He also publicly called on Moscow to match the move for the duration of the talks and related travel arrangements.
Witkoff and Kushner, who serve as President Donald Trump’s special envoys, reached Moscow on Saturday with a plan aimed at ending the war. The contents of that proposal have not been made public.
Moscow is the first stop in a two-part visit. After meetings with Putin and other Russian officials, the two are expected to travel to Kyiv on Sunday, September 6, for talks with Zelenskyy. It will be Witkoff and Kushner’s first visit to the Ukrainian capital in their current diplomatic roles.
War Escalation And Stalemate
The visit comes during a fresh escalation. Russia has stepped up drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. One of those strikes hit the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service in central Kyiv on Friday.
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Ukraine, meanwhile, has kept up long-range drone attacks on targets inside Russia. US-mediated negotiations between Russia and Ukraine stalled earlier this year, and the main disputes remain unresolved — especially over territory and Ukraine’s future ties with NATO.
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