Three Days

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow Saturday to discuss a plan to end more than four years of war between Russia and Ukraine. After talks in Moscow, the pair are expected to travel on to Kyiv for their first visit in Washington's latest bid to break a diplomatic stalemate.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of trying to disrupt the envoys' visit with overnight strikes on the Ukrainian capital's two airports, as well as on a civilian target in the Dnipro region that killed five people. "Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the US side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine," Zelensky said.

Putin orders halt

Ahead of his meeting with the American officials, Russian leader Vladimir Putin ordered a three-day halt in Moscow's strikes on Kyiv to allow the US delegation to hold talks there. "The Russian president, the commander-in-chief, has given the order from midnight tonight not to strike Kyiv for three days," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, linked to the preparation and conduct of talks.

Travelling to Kyiv by plane would be a highly unusual move, with Ukrainian airspace closed since 2022 because of the war. Visiting leaders and officials have generally travelled by train. Trump would not say whether the plan involved Ukraine ceding territory, but added: "We have an idea for peace."