Russian President Vladimir Putin convened with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday in an effort to restart stalled peace negotiations for the Russia-Ukraine war. The three leaders engaged in over three hours of closed-door discussions amid escalating aerial assaults from both sides. Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mutually agreed to suspend strikes on each other’s capitals during the talks. Washington’s peace initiative has lost traction as U.S. focus shifted to the Iran war over the past six months. The last such meeting in Moscow occurred in January.
First Kyiv Visit for American Emissaries
The U.S. delegation plans to travel to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, for the first time in the peace process on Sunday, according to Ukrainian officials. At the start of the Moscow summit, Putin requested that Kushner and Witkoff convey his warm regards and gratitude to President Trump, describing the Ukrainian situation as “not simple.” Putin also ordered a three-day halt on strikes against Kyiv starting at midnight, presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would pause strikes on Moscow until Monday, noting he spoke with the U.S. team upon their arrival. “From now through the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes on Moscow, and we expect the Russians to do the same regarding Kyiv,” Zelenskyy said. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev greeted the envoys at the airport, posting photos captioned “Welcome to Moscow Peacemakers.”
Stalled Peace Process
With diplomacy stagnant, Russia has intensified its bombardment of Kyiv and other cities, exploiting Ukraine’s depleted air defense capabilities. On Friday, a Russian drone struck the Kyiv headquarters of the Security Service (SBU), a key agency conducting deep-strike operations inside Russia. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s long-range attacks have targeted Russian military bases, oil refineries, and e-commerce hubs, aiming to disrupt the Kremlin’s war economy and impact civilian life.
Zelenskyy Ties Russian Strikes to U.S. Envoy Visit
The aerial campaign has escalated as troops face a grueling 1,250-kilometer front line. Russia is utilizing fast jet-powered drones, making air-raid sirens a daily reality in Kyiv. On Saturday, Zelenskyy claimed Russia targeted Kyiv and Boryspil international airports overnight, linking the attacks to the planned U.S. visit. “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,” he stated. “We have taken note of this Russian move, and next week we will adjust our operation accordingly regarding Russian airspace… Of course, there are and will be no threats to diplomacy from our side.”
Russian Strikes Claim Civilian Lives in Ukraine
Russian attacks killed five people and wounded five others at an industrial site in the Dnipropetrovsk region, local authorities reported. The victims—a locksmith, electrician, plumber, and machinist—were simply working their shifts. A 62-year-old man was wounded and homes damaged in Nikopol district. Russia claimed it struck two metallurgical plants supplying Ukraine’s military. The city of Dnipro and nearby Pidhorodne were hit, killing one and injuring five, damaging service stations, supermarkets, and apartment buildings. A drone strike on a house in Chuhuiv (Kharkiv region) killed three, while two others died and one was wounded in Bucha district (Kyiv region). Twenty-eight facilities across five districts were damaged, including apartment buildings, warehouses, railway tracks, and vehicles. A shopping center in Mykolaiv was repeatedly struck by drones overnight, sparking fires and forcing emergency crews to retreat. Russia launched ballistic missiles from Rostov and Voronezh and deployed 167 drones—half jet-powered Shahed, plus Geran and decoys. Ukraine’s air force downed or suppressed 128 drones. In Russia’s Belgorod region, Ukrainian attacks killed two and wounded three. Russia claimed its forces shot down 53 Ukrainian drones overnight.