Russian President Vladimir Putin convened with U.S. diplomats Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday to engage in discussions aiming to reinvigorate efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The meeting took place amidst heightened aerial assaults by both parties, leading to a temporary cessation of strikes on each other’s capitals as a gesture of goodwill during the negotiations.
The U.S. initiative to broker peace has faced setbacks due to a diversion of attention towards the conflict with Iran over the past half-year. Witkoff and Kushner, who last visited Moscow in January for talks with Putin, are scheduled to visit Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, for the first time in the peace process on Sunday.
Putin conveyed warm wishes and appreciation to former U.S. President Donald Trump through Kushner and Witkoff, acknowledging the complexities of the situation in Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
In response to the talks, Putin mandated a three-day halt on strikes against Kyiv starting at midnight, as confirmed by presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Conversely, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a readiness to refrain from strikes on Moscow until Monday, following a discussion with the U.S. delegation upon their arrival in Moscow.
The U.S. envoys were greeted at the airport by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who shared photos of the encounter with the caption “Welcome to Moscow Peacemakers.” Amid stalled peace negotiations, Russia intensified its attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities through relentless bombardments, taking advantage of Ukraine’s limited air defense capabilities.
Recent strikes by both sides have targeted significant government facilities and military installations, exacerbating the conflict along the front line. The escalating air war has become a daily occurrence in Kyiv, marked by the use of fast-flying drones and constant air-raid sirens.
Zelenskyy attributed recent Russian strikes on airports in Kyiv to the impending U.S. visit, signaling a reaction to potential American involvement. The conflict has resulted in casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, underscoring the severity of the ongoing hostilities between the two nations.