MOSCOW (MNN); Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a three-day suspension of strikes on Kiev as senior US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrive in Moscow for talks aimed at finding a solution to the Ukraine conflict.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced on Saturday that Putin, in his capacity as Russia’s commander-in-chief, had instructed the armed forces not to carry out strikes on the Ukrainian capital for three days beginning at midnight.
According to Peskov, the temporary pause is intended to facilitate the planned visit of Witkoff and Kushner to Kiev following their meetings in Moscow, allowing them to hold discussions with Ukrainian officials.
The two US representatives are expected to meet President Putin during their stay in Moscow before travelling to the Ukrainian capital as part of Washington’s renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Earlier reports in several Ukrainian media outlets claimed that Ukrainian forces had also been instructed to refrain from attacks from midnight Saturday until Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Kirill Budanov, was quoted by broadcaster Suspilne as saying that Kiev had proposed a temporary ceasefire along the front line and a halt to all aerial attacks. According to Budanov, Moscow had not yet responded to the proposal.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Witkoff and Kushner were carrying a proposal aimed at ending the war, although he did not disclose further details.
Since the beginning of Trump’s second presidential term in early 2025, Witkoff and Kushner have made several visits to Moscow as part of US efforts to mediate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
Despite hopes raised after last year’s meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska, diplomatic progress has remained slow, with Moscow and Kiev continuing to differ over key issues.
Speaking on Thursday, Putin praised the efforts of the two American negotiators, saying that Witkoff and Kushner were always welcome in Moscow and that Russia was willing to work with them.
IAEA-Brokered Local Ceasefire Takes Effect for Repairs at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant
A localized ceasefire has taken effect around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to allow urgent repairs to a damaged power line and restore external electricity supplies to the facility, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi announced that the temporary ceasefire was brokered by the UN nuclear watchdog to enable repair work on the plant’s remaining damaged power connection.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost access to its only remaining external power line, the 330-kilovolt Ferosplavnaya-1 connection, on August 20 due to military activity in the area north of the Dnieper River.
Since then, the facility has been relying on emergency diesel generators to maintain cooling systems for its six reactors and spent nuclear fuel pools.
According to the IAEA, the plant’s diesel fuel reserves are running low, raising concerns about a potential station blackout within days if external electricity is not restored or additional fuel supplies cannot be transported to the facility.
Under the temporary ceasefire agreement, Ukrainian technicians are scheduled to begin repair work on the damaged power line after the surrounding area is cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance.
Grossi said both Russia and Ukraine had cooperated constructively with the IAEA to ensure nuclear safety and security during the repair operation. An IAEA team will monitor the work throughout the ceasefire period.
Earlier, Zaporizhzhia plant spokesperson Yevgenia Yashina said the situation remained tense, as the facility had completely lost its external power supply and was dependent on generators.
She stressed that the plant’s reactor units require a stable electricity supply to maintain essential safety and cooling systems.
