Putin Says 'No Strikes On Kyiv For 3 Days' After Zelensky's Ceasefire Pitch - NDTV

**Putin Orders 72‑Hour Halt to Kyiv Bombardments Following Ukrainian Ceasefire Offer**

Moscow announced a three‑day suspension of air and missile strikes targeting Kyiv, a move announced by President Vladimir Putin in a televised address on Tuesday. The pause, which will run from 00:00 GMT on September 6 until the same hour on September 9, comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky y recently put forward a limited ceasefire proposal aimed at facilitating the evacuation of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid. Kremlin officials said the suspension is “a humanitarian gesture” intended to create a window for diplomatic contacts, though they stopped short of linking it to any specific terms from Kyiv.

The timing of the pause coincides with the arrival in Moscow of a senior U.S. delegation, including senior advisers Robert Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are traveling at the invitation of the Russian government to explore pathways to end the conflict. The delegation’s presence, reported by CNN and the BBC, signals a renewed, albeit tentative, push by Washington to re‑engage directly with Moscow after a year of high‑intensity fighting. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stressed that any further de‑escalation would depend on “constructive steps” from Kyiv and its Western partners, underscoring that the 72‑hour pause does not constitute a broader truce.

International reactions have been mixed. The European Union welcomed the humanitarian break but warned that a durable ceasefire would require “concrete commitments from both sides and verification mechanisms.” Meanwhile, analysts in New Delhi noted that the pause could be a strategic move by Moscow to alleviate growing diplomatic pressure as U.S. envoys press for a negotiated settlement. The coming days will test whether the limited cessation of hostilities can translate into substantive dialogue or simply serve as a brief intermission in a war that has entered its second year.