Russia-Ukraine war: US envoys set for Ukraine talks after Putin meeting - BBC

**U.S. Envoys Head to Kyiv After Kremlin Talks**

Washington sent senior diplomatic representatives to Moscow this week in an effort to revive stalled peace initiatives in the Russia‑Ukraine war. Businessman and former New York real‑estate magnate **Marc Vittorio Witkoff** and former White House adviser **Jared Kushner** met President **Vladimir Putin** at the Kremlin on Tuesday, a session arranged at the behest of President **Donald Trump**, who conveyed “his best wishes” for a constructive dialogue. According to Kremlin officials, the two envoys presented a “broad set of ideas” aimed at de‑escalating the conflict, ranging from a phased cease‑fire to mechanisms for humanitarian corridors and a roadmap for post‑war reconstruction.

During the meeting, Putin announced a **temporary three‑day suspension of Russian air strikes on Kyiv**, a gesture he said responded to President **Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent cease‑fire proposal**. The pause, however, was framed as a tactical decision rather than a formal cease‑fire, and no concrete timetable for broader negotiations was set. Observers noted that the limited halt could serve as a confidence‑building measure, but also warned that any breach could quickly erode the fragile goodwill generated in the Kremlin’s halls.

Following the Moscow talks, Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to travel to Kyiv later this week to deliver the proposals discussed with Putin and to engage directly with Ukrainian officials. The U.S. State Department has emphasized that the upcoming talks are “exploratory” and that any durable settlement must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Both sides have expressed cautious optimism, but the international community remains wary that entrenched positions and the broader geopolitical stakes could hamper swift progress toward a lasting peace.