Ukraine orders temporary ceasefire ahead of US envoys’ visit

Ukraine’s Defence Forces have been ordered to observe a temporary ceasefire along the line of contact, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office is expecting reciprocal action from Russia, according to Ukrainian media reports cited by ASTRA.

Ukrainska Pravda reported that Ukrainian units had received orders to observe a period of silence from midnight on September 5 until 11:59 p.m. on September 8. The publication cited sources in several brigades operating in different sectors of the front, as well as a senior source in Ukraine’s security and defence establishment.

The information differs slightly from the timeframe cited in the original report, which said the ceasefire would remain in effect until midnight on September 9.

Meanwhile, sources in Ukraine’s Defence Forces, including personnel on the line of contact, told RBC-Ukraine that they had received combat orders to halt strikes until the end of September 7.

A source in the president’s office told the publication that Kyiv was awaiting Moscow’s response on a possible reciprocal ceasefire in the air during the diplomatic meetings. According to the source, it would become clear overnight whether Russia had agreed to observe a mutual halt in hostilities.

The reported ceasefire comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, prepare to travel to Moscow and Kyiv for talks aimed at ending the war. Current reporting places their meetings in Moscow and Kyiv over the September 5–6 weekend.

Late on September 4, Zelensky called on Russia to observe a mutual period of silence during the U.S. envoys’ visit. Ukraine has said it would refrain from aerial strikes during the negotiators’ trip and urged Moscow to do the same.

Trump said Witkoff and Kushner would take a proposal to Moscow and Kyiv aimed at ending the war. Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko had previously said the U.S. special envoys planned to travel to Moscow first and then fly directly to Kyiv.

The reports of a temporary ceasefire have not been accompanied by an official Russian announcement confirming that Moscow will reciprocate.

By Tamilla Hasanova