US envoys meet Putin in Moscow and agree to capital strike pause before Kyiv visit

Moscow negotiations

United States envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday afternoon to discuss diplomatic proposals to end the war in Ukraine. The talks at the Kremlin concluded past 23:00 Moscow time (20:00 GMT). US President Donald Trump announced that Kushner and Witkoff carried a specific proposal to halt the conflict. Before holding closed-door discussions, Putin made televised remarks welcoming the envoys and thanking Trump for continuing efforts to seek a resolution.

Dear colleagues, I warmly welcome you to Moscow. Of course, the situation is not simple.

Following the session, a Kremlin adviser stated that the discussions were extremely frank and confirmed that the American delegation presented several concepts. A White House official confirmed that the envoys reviewed substantial plans for next steps, with formal details scheduled for release in the coming weeks.

Capital strike pause

To facilitate the diplomatic mission, both sides established a temporary three-day suspension of attacks against each other's capital cities. Under this agreement, Russia paused aerial strikes against Kyiv beginning at midnight on Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces would refrain from striking Moscow through the end of Monday. The measure remains strictly limited to the two capitals and does not establish a broader ceasefire along the active front lines or in other regions.

The diplomatic meetings followed intense strikes across Ukraine. Russian attacks on Saturday killed at least seven people, according to Ukrainian authorities. Preparations for the trip were preceded by Russian strikes against Kyiv and Boryspil airports, which Zelensky linked to the possibility of US envoys attempting to fly directly into the country. On Friday, a Russian drone struck the headquarters of the Ukrainian Security Service in Kyiv, wounding 12 people.

Conflicting diplomatic demands

The negotiations occur against conflicting political demands from Moscow and Kyiv. Russian officials told the American delegation that Moscow remains confident in its ability to achieve its stated military objective of seizing the remaining areas of eastern Ukraine. Putin maintains that any settlement requires Ukraine to renounce NATO membership and surrender all territory across Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, including districts that Russian forces have not captured. The Ukrainian government continues to reject all demands for territorial concessions.

We have an idea for peace and there may be a good chance of achieving something.

Both Putin and Zelensky have engaged directly with Trump's envoys, as Washington maintains significant leverage through its military aid provisions and international sanctions policies.

Planned mission to Kyiv

Witkoff and Kushner will travel to Kyiv on Sunday, marking their first official visit to Ukraine since Trump took office with a pledge to resolve the conflict. Zelensky spoke with the American envoys following their arrival in Moscow and agreed to host them for discussions in Kyiv. Official delegations traveling to the Ukrainian capital typically use rail transport because Ukrainian airspace has been closed to commercial and civilian aviation since the Russian invasion began in February 2022. Ukrainian officials stated to AFP that the emissaries are scheduled to arrive on Sunday, where they plan to conduct equivalent negotiations with Ukrainian leadership.