Putin refuses to pause strikes during US Kyiv visit, pushing talks exclusively with Russia

Russia shows no willingness to guarantee the safety of a US delegation visiting Kyiv this weekend, indicating Moscow's refusal to accept Washington as a peace mediator and an attempt to force talks exclusively with Russia, per the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analysis on September 4. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has given no sign of halting strikes on Ukraine during the September 6 visit of US envoy Steve Witkoff and former adviser Jared Kushner. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the visit, noting Ukraine paused long-range strikes on Russia to ensure normal Russian airspace function, while US sources reported security concerns from the delegation. Ukraine's defense forces reportedly received orders for a temporary silence along the front line from September 5 to 8, though no agreement with Russia exists and some sources denied a ceasefire. The US separately discussed the proposal with Moscow, and the NYT reported Washington asked Ukraine to pause drone attacks on Moscow and Russian energy facilities during the visit.