Zelensky to Axios: U.S. exploring Russia-Ukraine winter de-escalation steps

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting occurred amid a temporary pause in Russian airstrikes on Kyiv, which began at midnight Moscow time and lasted for three days. The pause followed an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to halt attacks on each other’s capitals during the talks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin ordered the cessation of strikes on Kyiv for three days, starting at midnight Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously committed to a similar pause in Ukrainian airstrikes on Moscow. Zelenskyy confirmed the arrangement in a message on social media, stating that Ukraine would refrain from striking Moscow from Saturday night through Monday, expecting Russia to reciprocate by halting attacks on Kyiv. Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow later Saturday and were greeted by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev at the airport. Dmitriev shared photographs of the meeting with the U.S. delegation, captioning them “Welcome to Moscow Peacemakers.” The envoys are set to travel to Kyiv on Sunday for their first visit to the Ukrainian capital since Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025. During the meeting, Putin reportedly expressed confidence in U.S. mediation efforts, stating he has “full trust” in the United States’ ability to facilitate dialogue between Russia and Ukraine. Witkoff thanked Putin for allowing the release of former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman and for agreeing to the pause in airstrikes. Putin emphasized that the pause would help ensure the safety of the negotiations. The meeting included representatives from the U.S. National Security Council, State Department, and Treasury Department, according to a White House official. Discussions covered “substantive plans for next steps,” which are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The U.S. envoys are anticipated to hold “equally productive meetings tomorrow in Ukraine,” the White House said. Gene Lange, the acting sanctions czar at the Treasury Department, joined Witkoff and Kushner on the trip to Kyiv. Although Lange attended a preparatory meeting with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, he did not participate in the main discussion with Putin. His presence suggests that U.S. sanctions against Russia were part of the broader discussions. Over the past several days, Russia has significantly increased its drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, including major cities such as Kyiv and Boryspil. On Friday, a Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), one of the agencies responsible for conducting deep-strike operations inside Russia. Despite the escalation, both sides agreed to the temporary ceasefire to facilitate the peace talks. Zelenskyy linked recent Russian attacks on Kyiv and Boryspil airports to the planned U.S. visit, suggesting that the strikes were a reaction to the possibility of U.S. aircraft landing in Kyiv. He stated that Ukraine was prepared to observe a ceasefire in airstrikes against the cities involved in the negotiation process. The meeting marks a renewed attempt by the U.S. to mediate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, a role that had largely stalled in February 2025 when Washington and Jerusalem launched joint strikes on Iran, killing its leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and triggering an ongoing conflict. Trump has repeatedly emphasized the importance of ending the war in Ukraine, although previous diplomatic efforts have faced challenges. In August 2025, Trump met with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, to seek a ceasefire agreement, but the talks failed. Later that year, plans for a summit in Budapest were canceled after Russia indicated it would not change its position on the war. Relations between Trump and Zelenskyy had also been strained, but tensions have eased in recent months. The current peace initiative follows a visit by CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow last week, where he met with Russian intelligence counterparts. While Trump described the trip as “semi-routine,” it had not been publicly announced beforehand, highlighting the delicate nature of U.S.-Russia relations. As the talks proceed, both sides remain engaged in a complex and volatile conflict that continues to shape global geopolitics. The outcome of the discussions will determine whether a meaningful step toward peace can be achieved.