Footage released by the Kremlin showed Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner being greeted by Putin, who said the current situation "is not so easy". Witkoff thanked Putin for agreeing with Ukraine to halt strikes on each other's capitals for three days. On Friday, Trump said Witkoff and Kushner were "bringing with them a proposal to end the war".

At Saturday's talks in the Kremlin, Putin also said that "whatever happens, such contacts are undoubtedly always useful".

Despite an escalation of Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Russian ground forces have made very slow advances for most of the conflict, incurring enormous casualties.

Zelensky said earlier on Saturday that he had spoken to the envoys, who have "already begun working with the Russian side today".

" The plan for tomorrow's diplomatic engagements in Kyiv, involving the US team, has been approved. In televised remarks, Putin said Russia had not agreed to a ceasefire for the rest of Ukraine outside of the capital. Kushner and Witkoff have visited Russia several times but the talks on Sunday would be the first in Ukraine.

Witkoff and Kushner's visit to Moscow comes just over a week after a rare visit to the Russian capital by the head of the CIA, John Ratcliffe.

There was no official comment from Washington or the Kremlin on what was discussed.

Last year, the US, Ukraine and Russia separately suggested that a deal to end the war was edging closer following a flurry of talks brokered by the Americans.

European allies also held talks in Paris but discussions ultimately ended without a breakthrough.

Key disagreements remain between the warring sides on issues such as territory and security guarantees for Ukraine.

Ukraine said it has struggled to repel ballistic missile attacks due to a lack of interceptor missiles, while Kyiv has focused its strikes on Russian economic infrastructure targets.