Russia announces 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv beginning at midnight on Saturday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, linking the measure to the planned visit of U.S. President Donald Trump’s representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

“Indeed, such information has been received. Supreme Commander-in-Chief President Vladimir Putin has instructed that for three days, starting at 12 midnight tonight, no strikes be carried out against Kyiv,” Peskov told Interfax.

The Kremlin spokesman said the pause was linked to preparations for and the conduct of contacts involving the U.S. representatives in the Ukrainian capital.

“This is related to the preparation for and conduct of the Americans’ contacts in Kyiv,” Peskov said.

Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday for talks with Russian officials and are expected to travel to Kyiv on Sunday. Their visit is part of a renewed U.S. diplomatic effort to revive negotiations aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The announcement follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s statement that Ukraine would refrain from conducting airstrikes during the U.S. envoys’ visit and that Russia should reciprocate.

By Tamilla Hasanova