U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv on Sunday to press Ukrainian officials on a proposal to end the war with Russia, a day after the pair met with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The dual-capital shuttle diplomacy came with an unusual, if narrow, olive branch: both sides agreed to hold off on striking each other's capital cities through the American delegation's visit.

According to NPR, Putin said he ordered a three-day halt to Russian strikes on Kyiv to coincide with the U.S. delegation's trip, while President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would refrain from hitting Moscow from Saturday through Monday, expecting Russia to reciprocate on Kyiv. Putin was careful to stress the pause does not amount to a broader ceasefire.

No Wider Truce Yet

A White House official described the Moscow talks as centered on "substantive plans for the next steps" in ending the war, with details expected to be announced in the coming weeks, according to CNN. Witkoff described the Moscow meeting as "productive" and "constructive," language that mirrors previous rounds of talks that have yet to produce a lasting deal.

BOTH SIDES AGREED TO HOLD OFF ON HITTING THE OTHER'S CAPITAL — BUT NOT ON A BROADER CEASEFIRE.

The Kyiv leg follows months of on-again, off-again negotiations built around a memorandum of understanding the U.S. has been shepherding since earlier this year. Zelensky said he spoke directly with Witkoff and Kushner on Saturday about next steps, though Ukrainian officials have repeatedly cautioned that any deal must guarantee their country's long-term security rather than simply freezing the current front lines.

Fighting has continued elsewhere along the front even as the capitals got a reprieve, underscoring how narrow Sunday's arrangement is. U.S. officials say they hope the Kyiv meetings will produce enough common ground to schedule a follow-up round with both delegations in the same room, though no date has been set.