Putin orders Russian forces to pause Kyiv strikes ahead of Trump envoys' visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian forces not to attack Kyiv for three days starting September 6, according to the Kremlin, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump's envoys to the Ukrainian capital. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said the decision is linked to preparations for the visit by Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who landed in Moscow on Saturday and will travel to Kyiv after talks in Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously said Russia deliberately attacked Kyiv and Boryspil airports overnight, claiming the strikes were Moscow's response to discussions about the envoys possibly flying into the capital. Trump said Friday his envoys are going to the Russian and Ukrainian capitals "with a proposal to end the war" launched by Russia in February 2022, without specifying whether it involves territorial concessions. The visit marks the first trip by the two officials to Kyiv, though a huge gap remains between Russia and Ukraine on ending the four-and-a-half-year conflict.