President Volodymyr Zelensky’s offer of a temporary pause in air strikes during a high-stakes US diplomatic mission this weekend has thrown a new test back at the Kremlin: will Moscow reciprocate? Zelensky said Friday that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel first to Moscow and then Kyiv, where they are expected Sunday.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Ukraine, he said, will refrain from air strikes while the Americans are in Russia and expects Moscow to do the same when they visit Kyiv. “There will be no air strikes from our side, and Russia must do the same,” Zelensky said, stressing that Kyiv was protecting the negotiators, “not Russia.” Washington is also seeking security assurances for the envoys’ travel. Moscow has yet to say yes Russia has not publicly committed to Zelensky’s proposal. That leaves open whether Russian missiles and drones will remain grounded when Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Kyiv. Moscow has an incentive to cooperate. The envoys represent US President Donald Trump directly, and endangering their mission could undermine Russia’s attempt to influence the latest US-led diplomatic push. But Russia’s record gives Ukraine reason for skepticism. Temporary pauses earlier this year, including the Easter and Victory Day truces, were accompanied by continued fighting and accusations of violations. Still, the reduction in major attacks during politically significant periods suggests Moscow can exercise restraint when a pause serves its own interests.