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Putin ordered a 3-day halt to Russian strikes on Kyiv for the arrival of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, starting September 5.
Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday ordered a three-day halt to Russian strikes on Kyiv, with the Kremlin as US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow.
The officials are expected to have discussions with President Vladimir Putin on the Ukraine war.
The order by Putin came a day after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv would suspend its own airstrikes during the visit of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and urged Moscow to do the same.
Zelenskyy said 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.”
US President Donald Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday, to hold discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of Washington’s latest effort to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The two are carrying a US proposal aimed at ending the conflict, although details of the plan have not been made public.
The Moscow meeting is the first stop in their two-part visit. After talks with Putin and Russian officials, Witkoff and Kushner are expected to travel to Kyiv on Sunday, September 6, where they will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This will be their first visit to Kyiv in their current diplomatic roles.
The visit comes amid a fresh escalation in the war. Russia has intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, including a strike on the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service in central Kyiv on Friday. Ukraine has also continued launching long-range drone attacks against targets inside Russia.
The diplomatic push comes after US-mediated Russia-Ukraine negotiations stalled earlier this year. Despite renewed efforts, major disagreements remain, particularly over territory and Ukraine’s future relationship with NATO
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Ask News18Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a three-day halt to strikes on Kyiv as US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow for discussions on the Ukraine war.
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Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can …Read More
September 05, 2026, 17:43 IST
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