Putin orders three-day halt to strikes on Kyiv

Vladimir Putin has ordered a three-day halt to strikes on Kyiv, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in a move Russia linked to preparations for a visit by US President Donald Trump’s special envoys.

Peskov, cited by Russian news agency RBC, said the pause was connected to the planned visit to Kyiv by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The Kremlin provided no further details, leaving it unclear whether the order covers missile strikes, drone attacks or both.

The announcement follows an earlier Ukrainian effort to establish a temporary ceasefire along the line of contact before the envoys’ visit. Ukraine’s defence forces were instructed to observe a truce from midnight on September 5 until 11:59 p.m. on September 8.

That ceasefire did not take effect. Ukraine’s General Staff later said fighting continued along the line of contact because Russian forces had not stopped their aggression against Ukraine. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the President’s Office, said the proposal had been conveyed to Putin, who had not responded.