US envoys head to Kyiv after Moscow talks with Putin

Two senior US envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, headed to Kyiv on Sunday after a three-hour session with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow — the first visit by top American negotiators to the Ukrainian capital since the full-scale war began in February 2022.

What happened in Moscow?

Saturday's talks at Putin's official Kremlin residence lasted three hours behind closed doors. The White House said the envoys had discussed substantive plans for next steps with Putin, though specifics were not disclosed. An announcement is expected in the coming weeks.

Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov described the atmosphere as constructive and extremely frank, noting that talks extended beyond the conflict to include economic issues and potentially large, mutually beneficial Russian-American projects.

Three-day no-strike deal on capitals

Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to halt strikes on each other's capitals for three days — the clearest diplomatic signal yet in the conflict. Zelensky said he was ready for a substantive conversation as the US team entered Ukraine.

The no-strike arrangement covers only Kyiv and Moscow, not the broader war zone. Russia still occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory seized since 2022, and ground advances remain slow.

Background

The peace push follows a period of intensified aerial attacks. Ukraine has struggled to intercept Russian ballistic missiles due to a shortage of interceptors, while Kyiv has focused strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. US President Donald Trump tasked Kushner and Witkoff with brokering a deal after promising to end the war quickly.