Moscow has announced a three-day suspension of aerial attacks against Kyiv, aligning with peace discussions spearheaded by American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that President Vladimir Putin issued the order for the strike hiatus to begin at midnight on Saturday.
The ceasefire coincides with the arrival of Kushner and Witkoff in the Russian capital. They were greeted at the airport by Kirill Dmitriev, representing the Russian government, according to state news agency Tass. The diplomatic mission follows earlier statements from US President Donald Trump, who described the pair as carriers of a proposal designed to terminate the conflict.
Trump acknowledged the complexity of the situation, noting that ending the five-year war proved more difficult than anticipated during his first term. He declined to elaborate on the specifics of the plan, which follows previous suggestions involving potential territorial concessions, stating only that the United States possesses an idea for peace. Both envoys have previously participated in Middle Eastern and Ukrainian peace efforts, meeting with Putin in January but abstaining from visits to Kyiv since Trump’s reelection.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously pledged to halt Ukrainian airstrikes to support the diplomatic initiative. Emphasizing that safety concerns were focused on the negotiators rather than Russia, Zelenskyy assured that Russian airspace would remain open for their safe passage. He further confirmed that the US delegation is scheduled to travel to Kyiv on Sunday for subsequent talks.
Despite the declared pause, hostilities persisted elsewhere. A Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s security service (SBU) in Kyiv on Friday, an act Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned as a significant escalation that exposed Moscow’s rejection of diplomacy. Zelenskyy responded by ordering a proportional and tangible counterstrike, mirroring the attack where feasible. Ukraine has simultaneously increased drone campaigns targeting Russian oil facilities and the retail chain Wildberries.
A three-day pause is a start, but drones still hitting Kyiv undermines the whole point. Hard to trust words when weapons keep flying.
Will this actually lead to a lasting agreement? Diplomatic gestures often look good on paper but fizzle out quickly in practice.
It is surreal to see a ‘ceasefire’ that permits drone strikes. Is this really peace, or just a tactical breathing room?
Territorial concessions again? If the plan involves giving up land, Ukraine has a right to reject that immediately.