Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv, as US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow for talks aimed at advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin said the pause would begin at midnight and last for three days. Putin is also due to meet the two US representatives, who are expected to travel to Kyiv on Sunday for further discussions with Ukrainian officials.
The latest diplomatic push comes as fighting continues across Ukraine, with both sides still carrying out attacks despite renewed efforts to secure a ceasefire.
US contacts
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was prepared to observe a limited halt to air strikes against cities involved in the negotiations.
He said Kyiv would refrain from strikes on Moscow from Saturday through Monday and expected Russia to take similar action against Kyiv.
"We expect the Russians to do the same regarding Kyiv," Zelenskyy said.
The Kremlin confirmed that Russia would suspend strikes on the Ukrainian capital, describing the move as being linked to the planned US contacts in Kyiv.
Kushner and Witkoff, who are among Donald Trump's key representatives in the peace effort, arrived in Moscow earlier on Saturday. They were welcomed by Kirill Dmitriev, a senior Russian official involved in relations with Washington.
The pair are expected to hold talks with Putin before travelling to Ukraine.
Major disagreements
The discussions represent the latest attempt by the Trump administration to broker progress towards ending the conflict, but major disagreements remain.
One of the most difficult issues is territory. Russia continues to demand control of the entire Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, including areas it does not currently occupy.
Security guarantees for Ukraine after any potential peace agreement are another major sticking point.
Despite the diplomatic activity, there has been little indication that Moscow is prepared to compromise on those fundamental issues.
The latest pause also comes after another night of Russian attacks on Ukraine. Kyiv has continued to warn of incoming Russian drones, with alerts reported across several regions on Saturday.
The conflict remains intense in the air. Ukraine has increased its use of long-range drones against targets in Russia, while Moscow has continued to launch missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine is facing shortages in air-defence capabilities, leaving it particularly vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks.
On the ground, Russian forces continue to make slow advances in some areas, although they have not achieved a major breakthrough in recent months.
Source: SkyNews
