Putin Orders Three-Day Pause in Kyiv Strikes
Move comes after Modi’s peace message as US envoys Witkoff and Kushner prepare for Moscow talks
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday has ordered a halt to fresh strikes on Kyiv for three days, began Saturday, local media reported after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for peace during their meeting on the Bishkek SCO Summit sidelines.
US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet Putin in Moscow on Saturday, media reported.
Three-day pause also came ahead of a US delegation’s proposed visit to Russai.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of targeting airports in Kyiv and Boryspil ahead of the US envoys’ visit.
“Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the U.S. side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine and land at Kyiv Airport or Boryspil Airport,” he said.
The peace negotiations in the Ukraine war have picked up pace after Putin’s meeting with PM Modi in Bishkek.
Modi told Putin that India supports peace and urged him to move to end the war.
He said that India supports all efforts towards peace, asserting that every day spent in war sets humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills humanity with new hope and enthusiasm.
“We must move away from endless war towards an end to the war. This is essential for the well-being of humanity. A peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is the call of humanity, and this is India’s message. The land of Gandhi and the land of Buddha share a single message: the path of peace,” he said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also travelled to Ukraine and conveyed India’s message to President Zelensky.
Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude towards India for taking a clear position by seeking an end to the war.
