Vladimir Putin characterized the situation in Ukraine as “difficult” during his meeting with American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on Saturday, according to reports. He praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, highlighting that Trump had sent emissaries to Moscow and Kiev with a proposal to end the war.
Putin remarked, “Understanding that he is entering a difficult situation, he nonetheless does not give up on efforts to help find a solution and contribute to resolving the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.” He was accompanied by his foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov and investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who welcomed the American guests upon their arrival, took them to a restaurant, and later escorted them to the Kremlin.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced that Putin had ordered the military to halt attacks on Kiev for three days, starting Sunday, to facilitate the visit of Witkoff and Kushner following their discussions in Moscow.
In his opening remarks, Putin noted a decrease in the intensity of Ukrainian attacks on Russia, assuring that the safety of the U.S. negotiators would be guaranteed. However, he indicated that Russia had not yet agreed to a broader three-day ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky assured that Ukrainian forces would also refrain from attacking Moscow until Monday.
Trump’s Envoys Head to Kiev After Moscow Talks
Kushner and Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Saturday, and after concluding their discussions in Russia, they will travel to Kiev. This visit will mark their first trip to Ukraine’s capital.
Zelensky stated that the American officials are expected to arrive in Ukraine on Sunday. Despite ongoing discussions, significant gaps remain between Russia and Ukraine regarding how to end the nearly four-and-a-half-year conflict, the deadliest in Europe since World War II.
The Kremlin reiterated on Friday that Putin’s stance from a speech two years ago, which mandated that Ukraine cede all territory in the four regions claimed by Russia and abandon its NATO membership aspirations, remains “unyielding.”
