- Putin met Trump’s envoys in Moscow over efforts to end the Ukraine war
- Russia temporarily halted strikes on Kyiv as the talks progressed
- Major disagreements remain over territory, security guarantees and a possible ceasefire
Russian President Vladimir Putin has held talks in Moscow with US President Donald Trump’s representatives as Washington intensifies diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, travelled to the Russian capital on Saturday for discussions with Putin before their planned trip to Ukraine.
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The meeting represents a renewed high-level contact between Moscow and Washington as the two sides explore possible terms for ending the conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ahead of the meeting, the Kremlin announced a temporary suspension of Russian strikes on Kyiv.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had instructed Russian forces to stop attacks on the Ukrainian capital for three days, beginning at midnight. He linked the decision to the presence and planned movements of the American officials in Ukraine.
Despite the announcement, reports indicated that Russian military operations continued elsewhere in the country.
Overnight attacks reportedly struck two metal-processing facilities in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, leaving at least four people dead and several others injured.
Parts of the Kyiv region were also hit. A missile reportedly damaged a nine-storey residential building in Boryspil, with two women said to have sustained injuries.
The continued attacks prompted concerns over whether Moscow was genuinely committed to the latest diplomatic initiative.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of targeting two airports in the Kyiv region in what he suggested could have been an attempt to disrupt the arrival of the American delegation.
Zelensky said Kyiv was concerned about the safety of the US officials but would take measures to ensure they could travel safely.
Putin had earlier indicated that an agreement to end the war remained possible, although he continued to maintain Russia’s position on territorial questions that have repeatedly complicated negotiations.
Trump has said Witkoff and Kushner are carrying a proposal intended to provide a framework for ending the conflict.
However, major differences remain between Russia and Ukraine, particularly over territories currently under Russian control, security guarantees for Kyiv and the conditions for any ceasefire.
The latest diplomatic engagement therefore comes against a backdrop of continued military activity and deep disagreements over the terms of a potential peace settlement.
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