Putin meets US envoys over Trump proposal to end Ukraine war

The Kremlin and Kyiv have each pledged to keep their missiles away from the other’s capital for three days, creating a limited pause as US envoys try to revive talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday. Trump said the two men were carrying “a proposal to end the war”. Putin welcomed them to Moscow and asked them to convey “their best wishes and words of gratitude to US President Mr Trump”.

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Dear colleagues, I warmly welcome you to Moscow. The situation is, of course, not simple.

Witkoff said Trump had sent his best wishes to Putin and thanked him for the limited ceasefire during the delegation’s visit. Putin said Russia would do its utmost to ensure the mediators’ safety.

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their best wishes and words of gratitude to US President Mr Trump

The agreement to refrain from strikes came as the war, which began with Russia’s 2022 invasion, continued to take civilian lives. Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes killed at least seven people on Saturday, including in the suburbs of Kyiv. The Kremlin said Russia would not strike Kyiv from midnight on Saturday, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would stop strikes on Moscow from then until Monday.

“From now through the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes on Moscow,” Zelenskyy said on social media. He said he had spoken with the US envoys and expected them in Kyiv on Sunday. It will be Witkoff and Kushner’s first visit to Kyiv since Trump returned to office last year and pledged to resolve the conflict.

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From now through the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes on Moscow