Ukraine war to end? After Zelensky, Putin orders 72-hour pause in Kyiv strikes

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a three-day ceasefire on strikes targeting Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, starting at midnight on Saturday, September 5. This decision aligns with the arrival of US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow for diplomatic talks concerning the ongoing war in Ukraine. The American delegation touched down at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport on a business jet, greeted by Russian special representative Kirill Dmitriev.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's presidential office, had previously suggested that Russia might avoid striking Kyiv during the US negotiators' stay in the region.

The upcoming visit of Witkoff and Kushner is expected to involve discussions with Russian officials in Moscow, followed by a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, September 6. This diplomatic mission represents the first significant attempt to resume negotiations since trilateral discussions in Geneva came to a halt in mid-February 2026.

US President Donald Trump revealed on Friday that he had dispatched the two negotiators with a specific proposal aimed at bringing an end to the conflict. Trump attributed the impasse in peace talks to deep personal animosity between Zelensky and Putin, stating that the two leaders "really hate each other." He also mentioned that both sides sustained a combined 32,000 casualties in the previous week, though he did not provide independent verification for this claim.

Ukrainian President Zelensky affirmed on Friday that his office had coordinated the logistical aspects of the visit directly with Washington, emphasizing that Ukraine was prepared to ensure the safety of the negotiators. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had previously described the negotiation process as being in a "deep pause," while reports from sources close to the Kremlin indicated that Moscow perceives the peace process as reaching an impasse, with both parties holding incompatible conditions for a settlement.