Photo: EPA
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his forces not to strike Kyiv for three days starting at midnight on September 5, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The temporary pause is reportedly linked to planned visits by U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv.
Putin is expected to meet the U.S. representatives in Moscow on September 5, while Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to travel to Kyiv on Sunday, September 6.
Bloomberg previously reported that expectations in Moscow for the talks were extremely low, with previous negotiating rounds producing no significant progress. Putin is reportedly prepared to end the war only on Russia’s terms, while Moscow’s demands have become increasingly stringent.
Ukraine offers reciprocal pause
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had spoken with the U.S. envoys, who confirmed that diplomatic efforts had begun in Russia.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was ready to observe a temporary halt to airstrikes against cities directly involved in the negotiations.
“From now until the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes against Moscow and expects Russia to do the same regarding Kyiv,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine had previously proposed a 96-hour ceasefire until September 8, according to Presidential Office head Kyrylo Budanov. The proposal reportedly covered not only airstrikes but also the situation on the battlefield.
Despite the announced pause, air-raid alerts were reported in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities after Russia launched another group of drones.
Previous attempts to establish temporary ceasefires have repeatedly broken down. In May, Ukraine accused Russia of violating ceasefire arrangements and said it would respond accordingly. Moscow has also previously rejected proposals for a ceasefire along the entire front line as part of peace negotiations.
