Putin Orders 3-Day Pause In Kyiv Strikes Ahead Of US Envoys’ Visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a three-day pause in strikes on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv from Saturday, ahead of a planned visit by a US delegation, Russian news agency Interfax reported, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov also told Russia's TASS news agency that Putin was scheduled to meet US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said Russia had targeted airports in Kyiv and the nearby town of Boryspil ahead of the expected visit by the US envoys.

“Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the U.S. side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine and land at Kyiv Airport or Boryspil Airport,” he said on the Telegram app.

“Russian-Iranian Shaheds (drones) in response to American diplomacy.” Ukraine has kept its airspace closed since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022. However, Zelensky said officials had discussed the possibility of US peace negotiators travelling by plane for their expected visit to Kyiv on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that his special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were travelling abroad as part of efforts to reach a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. The latest diplomatic push by Washington comes as efforts to resolve Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II face a deadlock.

Peace negotiations have been held up amid Washington's war with Iran, while Russia and Ukraine have intensified long-range attacks, pushing civilian casualties to their highest levels since the conflict began. The fresh diplomatic effort comes as both Russia and Ukraine continue to launch long-range missile and drone strikes against each other.

Witkoff and Kushner's trip comes more than a week after a rare visit to Moscow by CIA director John Ratcliffe, who warned Russia against attacking NATO member states, according to US media. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a three-day pause in strikes on Kyiv from Saturday.

This pause precedes a planned visit by a US delegation. The US special envoys visiting Ukraine are Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They are traveling as part of efforts to reach a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia struck Kyiv and Boryspil airports.

He viewed these as a reaction to discussions about the US delegation potentially flying in. The US delegation, led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, is visiting to discuss a Ukraine peace plan. Their trip aims to reach a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

Sagarika Chakraborty is a Senior Copy Editor at ABP Live English, where she handles business coverage and key developments in general news, while also actively chasing breaking stories. With a foundation in advertising, she transitioned into journalism to craft in-depth stories and explainers on the economy, real estate, and personal finance.

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