Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a three-day halt to Russian strikes on Kyiv from Saturday, coinciding with the arrival of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow for talks aimed at reviving efforts to end the Ukraine war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin would meet the two envoys on Saturday. Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev met Witkoff and Kushner after their arrival and accompanied them from the airport.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that the envoys were carrying a new proposal to end the war, now in its fifth year, but did not disclose details. “We have an idea for peace,” Trump said, adding that there was a “good chance” of progress.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Witkoff and Kushner were expected to travel to Ukraine on Sunday, their first visit there since the war began. Kyiv had pledged to suspend airstrikes during their visit, a move Moscow has now reciprocated.
The diplomatic push comes amid continued hostilities. Ukraine said Russia launched 167 drones and ballistic missiles overnight, while Moscow reported destroying 53 Ukrainian drones across nine regions.
Russia continues to demand territorial concessions from Ukraine and an end to its NATO ambitions, while Kyiv remains sceptical about prospects for a breakthrough.
