In a move to rejuvenate stalled peace discussions, Russian President Vladimir Putin has commanded a 72-hour cessation of airstrikes on Kyiv to coincide with the visit of U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow. The pause, set to initiate at midnight, is reportedly tied to the envoys’ anticipated trip to Kyiv, as confirmed by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had also urged for a temporary suspension of attacks during the U.S. delegation’s visit.
The U.S. envoys were welcomed in Moscow by Russian representative Kirill Dmitriev, amidst a backdrop of diplomatic initiatives that seem to have reached an impasse while hostilities have escalated. As tensions rise, Russian forces have intensified their drone and missile assaults targeting Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions, with Ukraine retaliating through long-range strikes on Russian military sites, oil refineries, and other key locations.
President Zelenskiy noted that Russia had conducted nighttime strikes near Kyiv and Boryspil international airports, suggesting these actions were related to the preparations for the American delegation’s journey to Ukraine. The strategic pause in Russian strikes is thus seen as a gesture to facilitate diplomatic engagements, even as the on-ground conflict shows no signs of abating.
This latest diplomatic effort occurs amidst a backdrop of unrelenting heavy combat, with both sides increasingly employing drones and missile technology. The visit by U.S. envoys, a significant diplomatic maneuver, aims to rekindle peace talks, which have seen diminishing momentum in recent times.