Putin orders 3-day halt on Kyiv strikes ahead of US envoy talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a three-day pause in strikes on Kyiv starting Saturday, ahead of a planned visit by a US delegation, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Putin is scheduled to meet US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had struck airports in Kyiv and Boryspil before the expected visit, calling the attacks a reaction to discussions about US envoys potentially flying into Ukraine. Ukraine has kept its airspace closed since the invasion began in February 2022. US President Donald Trump said Friday that Witkoff and Kushner were travelling abroad to pursue a peace deal, marking Washington's latest attempt to break a diplomatic deadlock in the conflict. The trip follows a rare CIA director visit to Moscow and comes amid intensified long-range attacks driving civilian casualties to their highest levels.