Putin says Russia has not struck Kyiv since midnight, but no broader ceasefire was agreed

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said during a meeting with US President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, that no strikes have been carried out on Kyiv since midnight on 5 September, but that Russia has never agreed on a broader ceasefire with Ukraine.

Source: Putin at the meeting with Witkoff and Kushner, as reported by Russian state news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS

Details: Witkoff thanked Putin for agreeing to the three-day ceasefire, during which neither Kyiv nor Moscow will be struck.

Quote from Putin: "We received this request through official channels – both intelligence channels and Foreign Ministry channels – to stop strikes on Kyiv. I issued the relevant order, and no strikes have been carried out on Kyiv since midnight.

I would like to note that the Ukrainian side has also significantly reduced strikes on Russian territory, including Moscow.

The Ukrainian authorities publicised their call for a broader three-day ceasefire, but we never agreed on that with them. But we will do everything in our power to ensure the security of the negotiation process and of the mediators represented by you and possibly by the people accompanying you."

Details: Putin also said he planned to discuss "all the modalities" of a settlement in Ukraine with Witkoff and Kushner.

Putin noted that Moscow is comfortable working with Witkoff and Kushner, and that this kind of contact is always beneficial.

Witkoff said talking with the Russian leader was one of the greatest and most memorable moments of his life.

For reference: Five air-raid warnings have been issued in Kyiv since the start of 5 September.

Russian attacks on Kyiv Oblast on 5 September have killed two people and damaged 28 properties in five districts.

Background:

• US President Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on 5 September. They arrived at the Kremlin after a business lunch with Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special envoy. The US negotiators are expected in Kyiv on 6 September.
• On the afternoon of 5 September, the Kremlin announced that Putin has ordered that no strikes be carried out on Kyiv for three days, starting from midnight.
• After speaking with Trump's special envoys, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv is willing to halt airstrikes on the cities involved in the negotiating process.
• Ukrainska Pravda reported that the Ukrainian authorities had sought to establish a temporary ceasefire along the line of contact ahead of the visit by Trump's special envoys. Ukraine's defence forces were ordered to observe a ceasefire from 00:00 on 5 September until 23:59 on 8 September. Russian forces thwarted this plan.
• Ukraine's General Staff later said that fighting is continuing along the line of contact because the Russians have not stopped their attacks on Ukraine.
• Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the President's Office, later confirmed that the ceasefire proposal had been conveyed to Putin, who had not responded.

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