Putin orders three-day halt to attacks on Kyiv as U.S. envoys visit Russia and Ukraine

Russia says it will stop attacking Kyiv for three days as two U.S. envoys travel to Moscow and Kyiv in an effort to advance contacts between the sides.

President Vladimir Putin ordered the halt from midnight for three days, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He linked the decision to preparations for the visit by White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Peskov also said Kyiv had told Moscow that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would suspend attacks on Russia while the envoys were in the two countries.

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Russia must do the same. Our goal is for the visit and the negotiations with the American side to be as constructive and substantial as possible.

Washington had demanded security guarantees from both sides. Zelenskyy said Russia should take the same step, describing the goal as making the visit and talks with the American side as constructive and substantial. He had warned Russia earlier in the week that Ukraine would make air communications over Russian territory “impossible” and urged Western governments and foreign airlines to respond accordingly.

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impossible

The temporary pause follows weeks of escalation. Kyiv has damaged numerous refineries and e-commerce warehouses in Russia’s rear areas, while Moscow has intensified missile attacks on Kyiv and Black Sea ports. The escalation coincided with a deadlocked peace process.

Putin is due to receive Witkoff and Kushner, who have not visited Moscow since January. U.S. President Donald Trump said the envoys are carrying a proposal to end the war. Putin has agreed to receive them but has so far rejected a three-way summit with the United States and Ukraine unless it would be held to sign a final peace agreement.

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They are carrying a proposal to end the war. Because I ended eight wars.