US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday, presenting a proposal to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting came as negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have stalled, and followed a discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Putin stated the situation “is not so easy” but welcomed the contact, and authorized a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv to coincide with the US delegation’s visit. Zelenskyy, in turn, said Ukraine is prepared to refrain from strikes on Moscow for the same period, expecting reciprocity.
Trump said the envoys were bringing “a proposal to end the war,” but details of the plan have not been released. The envoys are scheduled to travel to Kyiv on Sunday for further talks. Russian state media reported Putin thanked Trump for his peacemaking efforts. Prior to the meeting, Russia conducted strikes on airports in Kyiv and Boryspil, which Zelenskyy characterized as a reaction to potential US travel arrangements. An overnight strike in the Dnipro region killed four and injured five, according to Zelenskyy.
While Witkoff and Kushner have visited Russia multiple times, this marks their first trip to Ukraine during the conflict. Al Jazeera reported Kremlin sources suggest expectations for the visit are tempered, given previous unsuccessful attempts at mediation and Russia’s perceived military advantage. The Financial Times and RFI reported both Russia and Ukraine announced a pause in air strikes for the duration of the envoys’ visit. The Hill noted that negotiations have been stalled for months.
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