Putin Links Three-Day Pause on Kyiv Strikes to Visit by Trump-Linked U.S. Delegation
Russia halted strikes on Kyiv from midnight 5 September under a three‑day arrangement Vladimir Putin connected to the visit of U.S. figures Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for talks on a possible settlement of the war in Ukraine.
Russian strikes on Kyiv have paused under a short, tightly defined arrangement that Moscow has linked directly to talks with visiting U.S. intermediaries.
On 5 September, Russian President Vladimir Putin began a meeting at the Kremlin with U.S. figures Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who he described as negotiators there to discuss a settlement of the war in Ukraine. He said Russian forces had stopped striking Kyiv from midnight on 5 September following a request that came "through official channels."
Putin stressed that Russia had not agreed with Ukraine to any ceasefire lasting more than three days. His comments also indicated that the pause applied to the capitals rather than to the wider front. Separate reporting from Ukrainian channels described Russian strikes on other Ukrainian cities, including Zhytomyr and Khmelnytskyi, suggesting that the lull over Kyiv did not extend across the country.
Russian state media reported that during the meeting Witkoff thanked Putin for the three‑day pause in strikes on Kyiv, saying it allowed a U.S. delegation to organize a visit to the Ukrainian capital. Putin said Russia would do everything possible to ensure the safety of the talks and of the visiting mediators.
Alongside the discussion of the pause, Putin said Russia planned to discuss "all modalities" of a possible settlement to the conflict with Ukraine with Witkoff and Kushner. He also said he was pleased with the level of the U.S. negotiating team and that Russia was comfortable working with them, describing such contacts as beneficial.
According to Russian accounts of the meeting, the American side conveyed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s best wishes to Putin, and Putin said Trump continued efforts to contribute to a settlement.
The arrangement around Kyiv highlights how military decisions, including the targeting of the Ukrainian capital, are being timed with diplomatic activity. Signals to watch next include whether the pause over Kyiv is extended beyond three days, how Russia resumes strikes once it expires, and whether any concrete proposals emerge from the talks with Witkoff and Kushner.
Sources
- OSINT