Putin meets US envoys in Moscow as ceasefire pledged for three days

Russian President Vladimir Putin received U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and former White House adviser Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday to discuss a proposal from Washington aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The two envoys are scheduled to travel to Kyiv on Sunday.

During a televised ceremony, Putin said the situation was "not simple" and expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for the limited ceasefire that accompanied the delegation's visit. Senior Russian official Kirill Dmitriev described the trip as an "important peacemaking visit."

Both Russia and Ukraine pledged not to strike each other's capitals for three days. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin ordered a halt to attacks on Kyiv from midnight Saturday, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on social media that Ukraine would refrain from strikes on Moscow through Monday.

The talks occurred amid ongoing hostilities that have caused civilian casualties on both sides. Russian forces continue operations in eastern Ukraine, and recent drone attacks have hit targets in Russia's Belgorod region. Analysts noted that previous U.S. envoy visits have not produced substantive progress, but the current meeting is being viewed as a diplomatic milestone.

Ukrainian officials said the presence of the U.S. envoys helps foreign diplomats understand the scope of the conflict, though they cautioned that concrete outcomes remain uncertain.