Putin and US envoys meet in Moscow for three-hour talks on Ukraine peace proposals

Kremlin discussions

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday evening for talks on ending the war in Ukraine. The discussions lasted three hours and ended at 23:00 local time. Russian foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov and foreign investment adviser Kirill Dmitriev also took part in the meeting on the Russian side. US President Donald Trump confirmed that the delegation presented plans aimed at achieving a de-escalation and concluding hostilities. Ushakov described the dialogue as constructive and direct.

Yuri Ushakov detailed the American delegation's preparation following the meeting.

The American representatives prepared meticulously for this visit. Not only did they reiterate their customary interest in a swift end to hostilities, but they also presented several ideas on possible ways to reach a settlement.

Capital strike suspension

The diplomatic visit was coordinated alongside a limited three-day bilateral pause on aerial bombardments. The temporary agreement restricts strikes specifically against the capital cities of Moscow and Kyiv, running from midnight between Friday and Saturday through midnight on Monday. The arrangement was designed to guarantee security conditions for the American envoys during their transit and meetings in both capitals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the measure in a public message following his direct communication with the American delegation.

Volodymyr Zelensky outlined the operational boundaries of the pause on Saturday.

Starting from this moment and until the end of this day on Saturday, and then Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is willing to refrain from attacks against Moscow, and we hope that the Russians refrain from attacks against Kyiv.

Rejection of wider truce

While capital strikes were temporarily halted, Russian military operations continued across other sectors of the frontline. Ukrainian authorities reported strikes against Kyiv and Boryspil airports during the night between Friday and Saturday. Vladimir Putin clarified during his meeting with the American negotiators that Russia had not agreed to expand the temporary truce beyond the two administrative capitals. The Russian president characterized the diplomatic landscape as not simple and insisted that any lasting settlement must reflect conditions on the ground.

Vladimir Putin addressed Ukrainian requests for an expanded cessation of combat operations.

The Ukrainian authorities launched an appeal for a broader three-day ceasefire, but we never agreed to anything like that with them.

Upcoming Kyiv consultations

Following the conclusion of talks in Moscow, Witkoff and Kushner prepared to travel directly to Kyiv on Sunday for scheduled discussions with the Ukrainian leadership. The White House stated that both sides discussed concrete steps that will be formally disclosed in the coming weeks. The American envoys agreed to incorporate Putin's positions and assessments into their negotiations with Zelensky. Discussions in Moscow also touched on prospective bilateral economic and investment projects between the United States and Russia.