MOSCOW, Russia: The Putin-US envoys’ meeting lasted about three hours at the Kremlin on Saturday as Washington renewed efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and described the situation in Ukraine as “difficult.” Russian state media later showed the American delegation leaving the Kremlin.
Putin also ordered Russian forces not to strike Kyiv for three days beginning at midnight on Saturday. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the measure was linked to the US envoys’ planned trip to the Ukrainian capital.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Witkoff and Kushner would arrive in Ukraine on Sunday. He also said Ukraine was prepared to refrain from strikes on Moscow through Monday.
Putin said Russia had not agreed to a broader three-day ceasefire. He also praised Trump’s efforts to seek a settlement after the US president said Washington had a fresh proposal to end the conflict.
Read: Trump Ukraine peace proposal sends envoys to Moscow, Kyiv
Major differences remain between Moscow and Kyiv. The Kremlin said Putin’s demand that Ukraine cede four regions claimed by Russia and abandon its NATO ambitions remains unchanged.
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Ukraine rejects those terms and has refused to surrender territory it has defended during the war. Western military analysts also question whether Russia can quickly capture the remaining areas it seeks in the Donetsk region.
The front lines have remained largely static despite intensified long-range attacks by both sides, with Russia making gradual gains in the Donbas region.
