Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv as U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow Saturday, seeking to revive stalled peace negotiations regarding Russia’s five-year invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the pause, beginning at midnight, is linked to preparations for the envoys’ visit, which will include a planned trip to Kyiv on Sunday. Witkoff and Kushner met with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev upon arrival in Moscow and are scheduled to meet Putin. Despite the visit, Peskov stated there are “no talk of new ideas” to end the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Ukraine would also halt airstrikes during the envoys’ visit, urging Russia to reciprocate. This comes after a period of intensified aerial attacks from both sides, including a recent Russian drone strike on the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service in Kyiv. Zelenskyy linked the strikes to the planned U.S. visit, suggesting Russia reacted to the possibility of U.S. officials traveling to Ukraine by air. He also stated that Ukrainian forces would adjust operations regarding Russian airspace, which he described as increasingly dangerous due to Ukrainian drone and missile activity.
The U.S. push for an end to the fighting has lost momentum in recent months, with attention focused on the war with Iran. Trump announced Friday that Witkoff and Kushner were carrying a “proposal to end the war,” but details have not been released. The last visit by Witkoff and Kushner to Moscow was in January. Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv and other cities, citing Ukraine’s shortage of air defense systems. Five people were killed overnight in strikes on the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine, and a Russian drone hit the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service on Friday.
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