Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv starting September 6, coinciding with a visit from US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the pause, also noting that Ukraine had previously indicated it would observe a ceasefire during the visit. Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin in Moscow to discuss ending the war in Ukraine and are scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday. US President Donald Trump stated the envoys are bringing a proposal to end the war, a role the US previously held as a primary mediator between Russia and Ukraine, before joint strikes on Iran in early 2026 stalled those efforts.
Zelensky confirmed contact with the envoys and stated Ukraine is prepared to refrain from strikes on Moscow if Russia does the same regarding Kyiv, while also noting recent Russian attacks on Kyiv and Boryspil airports killed five people. Zelensky attributed the airport strikes to a reaction to the potential US envoy travel. The Kremlin described the talks as “useful,” with aide Yuri Ushakov stating the envoys presented “a number of ideas regarding possible avenues for a settlement” and that economic issues were also discussed. Putin told the US envoys the situation was “not so easy” but that “such contacts are undoubtedly always useful.”
The US previously attempted to broker a ceasefire in August 2025 with a meeting between Trump and Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, which proved unsuccessful. A planned follow-up meeting in Budapest in October 2025 was also cancelled. Left outlets emphasize Zelensky’s willingness to engage in substantive conversation, while right-leaning coverage highlights Putin’s characterization of the talks as “useful.” Not in dispute is the temporary pause in strikes on Kyiv and the ongoing efforts to find a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
Read the original coverage
💬 Comments
📜 Comment Policy