US officers are in Moscow to debate a possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Particular envoy Steve Witkoff arrived on Thursday morning to attempt to persuade Russia to simply accept a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine agreed to earlier this week in talks with the US.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated talks have been “going down in a peaceful method” – however rejected the proposal, saying it could quantity to nothing greater than a short lived respite for the Ukrainian army and an opportunity for it to regroup.
The American go to comes because the Russian army claimed to have recaptured Sudzha – a key city within the Kursk area that Ukraine invaded final yr in a shock assault.
President Vladimir Putin visited Kursk on Wednesday and met army commanders, who instructed him Russian troops had recaptured 86% of the realm and have been within the closing stage of driving Ukrainian forces out.
Talking on Thursday, presidential aide Ushakov stated the truce proposals have been “nothing however a short lived respite for the Ukrainian army, nothing else.”
“Our intention is long-lasting peaceable settlement which takes account of our nation’s authentic pursuits and considerations. Nobody want such steps that solely imitate peaceable actions,” he instructed Russian state TV.
He added {that a} “regular change of opinions” between Russia and the US was “going down in a peaceful method”.
Following the talks between US and Ukraine in Jeddah on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated it was now as much as the US to persuade Russia to conform to the “constructive” proposal.
Yesterday Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the “ball is actually of their [Russia’s] court docket” and that the US believes the one strategy to finish the combating was by peace negotiations.
On Wednesday Trump stated he had obtained “constructive messages” about the opportunity of a ceasefire.
“However a constructive message means nothing,” he stated. “This can be a very severe scenario.”
Within the Oval Workplace, Trump stated that he believes a ceasefire would make sense for Russia, including – with out additional particulars – that there’s a “lot of draw back” for Russia as nicely.
“We now have a really complicated scenario solved on one facet. Just about solved. We have additionally mentioned land and different issues that go along with it,” Trump added. “We all know the areas of land we’re speaking about, whether or not it is pull again or not pull again.”
To strain Russia, Trump stated that he “can do issues financially”.
“That might be very unhealthy for Russia,” he stated. “I do not wish to try this as a result of I wish to get peace.”
The assembly in Jeddah was the primary between US and Ukrainian officers since a 28 February assembly between Zelensky, Trump and Vice-President JD Vance descended right into a shouting match and, finally, a pause in US army help and intelligence sharing.
The pause was lifted following the assembly in Jeddah, and Trump stated that he believes that the “tough” Ukrainian facet and Zelensky now need peace.
At the same time as negotiations over a possible ceasefire are ongoing, combating has raged in Ukraine.
Russian drones and missiles reportedly struck targets in Kryvyy Rih – Zelensky’s hometown – in a single day, in addition to within the port metropolis of Odesa, Dnipro and Kharkiv.
Clashes additionally continued in Russia’s Kursk area, the place Peskov stated Russian troops have been “efficiently advancing” and recapturing areas held by Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian troops invaded the area of western Russia that borders Ukraine, in a shock assault in August final yr. At its peak, Ukraine claimed to have captured 100 cities and villages – however since then, Russia has retaken most of that territory.
Russian media report that Putin ordered the army to “totally liberate” the area throughout the go to. He’s but to touch upon the ceasefire proposal agreed by Ukraine and the US on Tuesday.
The pinnacle of Ukraine’s army, Oleksandr Syrsky, additionally indicated on Wednesday that a few of its troops have been withdrawing from Kursk. In a publish on Telegram, he stated: “In probably the most tough scenario, my precedence has been and stays saving the lives of Ukrainian troopers.”
