Archive · 5 Sep 2026
Putin Orders Three-Day Kyiv Strike Halt Amid US Talks
Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, ordered Russian forces to stop striking Kyiv for three days.
The pause began on September 5.
It happened while two US envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived in Moscow.
They planned to discuss the war with Putin.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had asked both sides to stop airstrikes while the meetings took place.
The envoys were expected to visit Kyiv after meeting Russian officials.
The United States brought a peace proposal, but people do not know all of its details.
The talks are taking place while fighting continues and Russia and Ukraine still disagree about territory and NATO.
Vladimir Putin ordered a three-day halt to Russian strikes on Kyiv beginning September 5.
The pause coincided with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arriving in Moscow.
The order followed Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s proposal for both sides to suspend airstrikes during the talks.
The envoys carried a US proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine war, but its details were not disclosed.
The diplomatic effort comes amid intensified attacks and unresolved disputes over territory and Ukraine’s NATO relationship.
- Who
- Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the halt; US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were involved in the diplomatic visit; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed the reciprocal pause.
- What
- Russia announced a three-day halt to strikes on Kyiv during a US diplomatic effort focused on ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
- When
- The halt was ordered on Saturday and was to begin on September 5; the envoys were expected to visit Kyiv on September 6.
- Where
- The envoys arrived in Moscow and were expected to travel to Kyiv; the halt concerned strikes on Kyiv.
- Why
- The pause coincided with talks by US envoys carrying a proposal aimed at ending the war and followed Zelenskyy’s call for both sides to suspend airstrikes during the visit.
Support for a Reciprocal Pause
Continuing Military Pressure
Airstrike suspension
Support for a Reciprocal Pause
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would suspend its airstrikes during the envoys’ visit and urged Russia to do the same.
Continuing Military Pressure
The reports said Russia had intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, while Ukraine continued long-range drone attacks against targets inside Russia.
Scope of the halt
Support for a Reciprocal Pause
Zelenskyy called for both sides to avoid airstrikes for the time needed to hold talks and manage logistical arrangements.
Continuing Military Pressure
The Kremlin order was described primarily as a halt to Russian strikes on Kyiv; one headline characterized it more broadly as a halt to strikes on Ukraine.
Peace proposal
Support for a Reciprocal Pause
The US diplomatic effort sought to create conditions for discussions aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
Continuing Military Pressure
The talks faced major unresolved disagreements, especially concerning territory and Ukraine’s future relationship with NATO.
- Halt duration
- Three days
- Start date
- September 5
- Russian order
- Vladimir Putin instructed Russian forces to refrain from attacking Kyiv.
- US envoys
- Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner
- Diplomatic route
- The envoys arrived in Moscow and were expected to travel to Kyiv on September 6.
- US proposal
- The envoys carried a proposal aimed at ending the conflict; its details were not made public.
- Unresolved issues
- Major disagreements remained over territory and Ukraine’s future relationship with NATO.
