Home · World · Sep 5 archive
Putin Orders Pause in Kyiv Strikes for U.S. Envoy Visit
Confirmed
In Short: Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv, starting from midnight Saturday, ahead of a visit by U.S. envoys to Moscow for peace talks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv, starting from midnight Saturday, ahead of a visit by U.S. envoys to Moscow for peace talks, according to reports from the Daily Pioneer and Hindustan Times.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced that no strikes would be carried out against Kyiv for three days, linking the decision to preparations for the visit of U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had also called for a temporary halt to airstrikes during the U.S. delegation's visit, and Russian President Putin's decision specifically targets strikes on Kyiv, not a broader ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Russia had struck airports in Kyiv and the nearby town of Boryspil ahead of the expected visit by U.S. envoys, highlighting the ongoing tensions.
This move by Putin is part of a renewed U.S. diplomatic push to end the Russia-Ukraine war, with the U.S. envoys expected to travel to Kyiv after their meetings in Moscow.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- "Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the U.S. side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine and land at Kyiv Airport or Boryspil Airport," he said on the Telegram app.
- However, Zelensky said officials had discussed the possibility of the US peace negotiators travelling by plane for their expected visit to Kyiv on Sunday.