By Gleb Bryanski and Anton Kolodyazhnyy
MOSCOW, Sept 5 – Russian President Vladimir Putin met U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the Kremlin on Saturday, telling them at the start of the talks that the situation in Ukraine is “difficult.”
As in previous meetings, Putin was flanked by his foreign-policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, and his investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, who met the two visitors at the airport, took them to a restaurant, and then accompanied them to the Kremlin. Putin noted in his opening remarks that the intensity of Ukrainian attacks on Russia has also decreased and promised to ensure the safety of the U.S. negotiators. The Russian Defence Ministry reported 53 Ukrainian drones in Russian airspace on Saturday, significantly fewer than the average seen in recent months.
He said Russia did not yet agree to a broader three-day ceasefire. Earlier reporting noted: Putin said Russia would “do our utmost to provide safety of the negotiators” and told Witkoff and Kushner that “it’s convenient for us to work with you. Earlier reporting noted: Putin also said that “such contacts are always beneficial.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in a statement posted on the Kremlin’s channel in Max messenger that Putin had ordered the military not to strike Kyiv for three days, starting at midnight on Saturday, in connection with Witkoff and Kushner’s visit to the Ukrainian capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he had spoken to the two U.S. envoys set to visit Ukraine on Sunday, adding that Ukraine was prepared to refrain from strikes on Moscow through Monday. Moscow is celebrating City Day on Saturday, with hundreds of thousands of people taking part in open-air festivities across the city. Earlier reporting noted: Russian president Vladimir Putin met US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday as talks continued on efforts to revive a stalled push to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Putin praised U.S. He did not elaborate. President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the 4-1/2-year war in Ukraine.
“Understanding that he is entering a difficult situation, he nevertheless does not stop his efforts to help bring about a settlement and to make his contribution to resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict,” Putin said. Trump suggested on Friday the U.S. had a fresh proposal aimed at ending the war.
