Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv, the Kremlin said Saturday, as U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow to try to revive a stalled push to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Putin has ordered that no strikes be carried out against Kyiv for three days, starting at midnight today,” presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told media reporters.
Earlier today, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of deliberately striking airports in Kyiv and Boryspil ahead of planned travel by U.S. envoys.
Zelensky described the attacks as “demonstrative” and suggested they were linked to discussions over the possibility of a U.S. aircraft landing in Ukraine. The overnight strikes reportedly killed four people and damaged civilian infrastructure across several Ukrainian regions.
Zelensky warned that Ukraine would adjust its operations in response, particularly in Russian airspace. His claims raise fresh questions over whether Moscow’s strikes are intended to send a message as U.S.-Ukraine diplomatic efforts continue.
A Russian drone also struck theheadquarters of Ukraine’s SecurityService, the SBU, in Kyiv on Friday. Thestrike came during a period of heavy Russian attacks on the Ukrainian captial.
Witkoff and Kushner landed in Moscow on Saturday for talks aimed at reviving efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine,which is now in its fifth year. Two peoplefamiliar with the visit told Reuters thatthe US envoys were met at the airport byRussian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev.