Russia and Ukraine agreed on Saturday to pause strikes on each other's capitals during visits from President Trump's White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner in the latest effort to end the war between the two countries.
asserted
Russia → agree → countries
Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday, where they met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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they → arrive → Putin
A White House official told CBS News Saturday evening that the "two sides discussed substantive plans for next steps, which will be announced in the coming weeks," adding that Witkoff and Kushner "look forward to equally productive meetings tomorrow in Ukraine."
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Putin held "extremely frank" talks with Witkoff and Kushner on how to end the Ukraine war, with the Americans proposing a "number of ideas."
"The American representatives prepared thoroughly for this trip," Ushakov said.
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Ushakov → tell → trip
"They did not only express their traditional interest in bringing the hostilities to a quick end, they put forward a number of ideas on possible routes to a settlement," he said.
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he → express → settlement
"The conversation was constructive, extremely frank and trustful," said Ushakov, adding that the Russian side "expressed confidence in achieving the set goals.
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side → say → goals
At the start of the meeting in Moscow which was captured on video, Putin asked Kushner and Witkoff to pass on his warm wishes and gratitude to Mr. Trump, and described the situation in Ukraine as "not simple."
Russian forces launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
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forces → capture → Feb.
"Putin has ordered that no strikes be carried out against Kyiv for three days, starting at midnight today," presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russia's Tass news agency, saying the decision was tied to Witkoff and Kushner's planned visit to the Ukrainian capital, which Kyiv has said will take place on Sunday.
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Kyiv → order → Sunday
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was prepared to halt strikes on Moscow until Monday.
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Ukraine → say → Monday
He said he spoke on Saturday afternoon with the U.S. delegation after they arrived in Moscow.
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they → say → Moscow
"From now through the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes on Moscow, and we expect the Russians to do the same regarding Kyiv,
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Russians → refrain → Kyiv
" he said.
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he → say → ?
He had urged Russia on Friday to reciprocate the halt in airstrikes.
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He → urge → airstrikes
The U.S. envoys were met at the airport in Moscow by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, Tass reported.
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Tass → meet → Dmitriev
Dmitriev shared photos of him meeting with the U.S. delegation as they disembarked, alongside the caption, "Welcome to Moscow Peacemakers."
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they → share → Peacemakers
Mr. Trump told reporters on Friday he had sent the envoys with a proposal to end the conflict, which began in 2022 when Russia began its full-scale invasion of
.
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Russia → tell → invasion
The envoys were met at the airport by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, Russia's state news agency Tass said.
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agency → meet → Dmitriev
"We have an idea for peace," Mr. Trump told reporters on Friday.
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Trump → have → Friday
"I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators.
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I → send → Witkoff
They've done a great job, and we sent them over to see whether or not we can get something done.
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something → do → them
The White House official also told CBS News that the U.S. delegation thanked Putin for
, a 32-year-old teacher who had been imprisoned in Russia since 2022.
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who → tell → 2022
Prior to his release, Gilman in serious condition after he had allegedly been subjected to severe mistreatment, according to Global Reach, an organization that worked to free him.
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that → subject → him
The trip marks the first time Witkoff and Kushner will travel to Ukraine since the president returned to office with a pledge to resolve the conflict.
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president → mark → conflict
In December 2025, the duo met with Putin for five hours in talks that were characterized as "constructive" by a Russian official, but that ultimately did not lead to a breakthrough.
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that → meet → breakthrough
In September 2025, the president
he was committed to pursuing a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine and vowed to "get it done.
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it → commit → Russia
""I've been talking about it with President Putin and President Zelenskyy," Mr. Trump said in a phone interview at the time.
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Trump → talk → time
"Something is going to happen, but they are not ready yet.
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they → go → ?
But something is going to happen."
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something → go → ?
However, peace efforts appeared to have stalled after the U.S. launched an attack on Iran in February, triggering a war that has lasted for more than six months.
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that → appear → months
The renewed push for diplomacy comes as Russia and Ukraine pummel each other with long-range missile and drone attacks.
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Russia → renew → attacks
Just hours before Mr. Trump's announcement, a Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in central Kyiv, according to Zelenskyy.
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drone → strike → Zelenskyy
The strike, which Zelenskyy said was aimed at the office of the agency's acting chief, was the first on its headquarters since the start of the invasion.
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Zelenskyy → say → invasion
The Aporia
