Putin and Zelensky agree to pause strikes on Kyiv and Moscow during U.S. envoy visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv starting midnight Saturday, timed to U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner's visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to halt strikes on Moscow until Monday, following talks with the U.S. delegation in Moscow. The envoys, who met Putin on Saturday, aim to revive stalled peace efforts amid intensified aerial attacks on both sides. The visit marks the first U.S. envoy trip to Kyiv, with peace efforts losing momentum as Washington focuses on its war with Iran. Russia recently struck Kyiv's SBU headquarters and airports, while overnight attacks killed five in Dnipropetrovsk and wounded others across regions.