Zelensky Offers Ceasefire as US Envoys Prepare for Moscow and Kyiv Visits
Ukraine proposes a temporary halt to airstrikes as US envoys Kushner and Witkoff head to Moscow and Kyiv for peace talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a temporary ceasefire in the conflict with Russia, timed to coincide with the arrival of senior US envoys in the region this weekend. In his evening address, Zelensky stated that Ukraine would refrain from launching airstrikes and called on Russia to do the same for the duration of the negotiations.
The diplomatic push involves US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who are scheduled to visit Moscow on Saturday and Kyiv on Sunday. Their discussions are expected to focus on potential terms for a peace agreement between the two nations. Zelensky confirmed the itinerary in a Telegram post, noting that the details came from the US President's team.
As part of the arrangements for the envoys' travel, Ukraine has agreed to keep Russian airspace operating normally to ensure the officials' safe passage. Zelensky emphasized that Kyiv's priority is the safety of the visiting US officials and stressed that Ukraine is seeking a genuine path toward ending the conflict, which has persisted for over four years.
"We'll see what proposals Steve and Jared have and what Moscow will say to them," Zelensky wrote, adding that Ukraine wants "real options" for peace.
The ceasefire proposal comes amid an escalation in Russian air attacks, including a daytime strike on the headquarters of Ukraine's intelligence service on Friday. Russian forces have increasingly targeted civilian areas during daylight hours. In recent attacks, an overnight assault on the Odesa region killed one person and injured at least five others, including a child, while strikes in the Dnipro region claimed the lives of two police officials.
This weekend's trip will mark the envoys' first visit to the Ukrainian capital as part of broader efforts to negotiate a settlement and work toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war.