US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday evening to discuss proposals for ending the war in Ukraine, as the Kremlin announced a three-day halt to strikes on Kyiv beginning at midnight Saturday.
Putin ordered that no strikes be carried out against the Ukrainian capital for three days, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy said Ukraine would refrain from strikes on Moscow through Monday, setting out a parallel commitment tied to the diplomatic contacts.
“From now through the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes on Moscow, and we expect the Russians to do the same regarding Kyiv,” Zelenskyy said.
Donald Trump said Kushner and Witkoff had travelled to Russia with a new proposal. “We have an idea for peace,” Trump said, without providing details of the potential plan. The White House said further details would be announced next week.
The meeting brought Washington's highest-level diplomatic push on Ukraine into sharper focus after six months in which US attention has been directed towards the Iran war. The proposed terms remain undisclosed, and it is unclear whether the military pause will continue beyond the 72-hour period.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described the discussions as “useful” and said Putin and the US envoys had considered a range of ideas to end the war. The White House said Kushner and Witkoff discussed “substantive plans” for the next steps towards ending the Ukraine war.
Putin told the US officials: “The situation is of course not simple.” He also asked Kushner and Witkoff to pass on his warm wishes and gratitude to Trump, according to the Kremlin.
Kushner and Witkoff are due to travel to Kyiv on Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. It will be the first visit to Ukraine's capital by both envoys during the peace process. A White House official said they “look forward to equally productive meetings tomorrow in Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy said the two envoys would visit Ukraine after their Moscow discussions. He said he had spoken with the US delegation on Saturday afternoon after it arrived in Moscow.
The Americans were met at the airport by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Their last known visit to Moscow was in January, when they also held talks with Putin at the Kremlin.
The planned Kyiv visit follows renewed attacks around the Ukrainian capital. On Friday, a Russian drone hit the headquarters of Ukraine's Security Service, known as the SBU, in Kyiv. Zelenskyy also said Russia carried out overnight strikes on the Kyiv and Boryspil international airports.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine would take steps to allow the negotiators to travel. “As with previous diplomatic visits by the American side, we will ensure the normal functioning of Russian airspace so that the negotiators can arrive safely,” he said.
The coordinated commitments mark a period of military restraint directly connected to the negotiations. The talks have yet to produce public terms for a settlement, and Ukraine's detailed response to the plans discussed in Moscow has not been disclosed.
Comments (0)