A Kremlin aide said the 30-day temporary ceasefire ‘only gives the Ukrainians an opportunity to regroup, gain strength and, to continue the same thing.’
United States negotiators arrived in Moscow on Thursday as one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aides criticized the proposed ceasefire deal.
Yuri Ushakov, a former Russian ambassador, confirmed in a television interview that he had spoken to U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz and set out Russia’s view on the 30-day ceasefire proposal.
“I have stated our position that this is nothing other than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, nothing more,” Ushakov told Russian media, adding that Russia was seeking a long-term settlement that took its interests and concerns into account.
“A 30-day temporary ceasefire. Well, what does it give us? It gives us nothing. It only gives the Ukrainians an opportunity to regroup, gain strength and, to continue the same thing.”
Asked if that meant Moscow was rejecting the proposal, Ushakov said that the president would likely speak to the media later on Thursday and outline Russia’s position in more detail.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who confirmed that Washington’s negotiators were on their way, did not provide details on who from the U.S. side was inbound. Russian state news agency TASS said that a plane used by Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, had departed Qatar and landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport on Thursday morning, citing data from flight-tracking service Flightradar.
“Earlier on Thursday, the Gulfstream G650 jet took off from Doha’s Hamad International Airport. At around 11:40 Moscow time, the plane entered Russian airspace from the direction of Latvia,” TASS reported.
Witkoff had been in Qatar for negotiations on extending the cease-fire in Gaza.
Peskov also said that the United States had provided some information to Russia about a proposed cease-fire for Ukraine and would continue to do so in face-to-face talks in the coming days.
Separately, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was ready to talk to Washington about a peace initiative discussed between the United States and Ukraine, and contacts would begin imminently.
“We are ready to discuss the initiatives set out there in future contacts with the United States. Such contacts are already possible as early as today,” Zakharova said.
After talks with top U.S. diplomats in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Kyiv said it was ready to accept a 30-day ceasefire. The United States said it was putting the proposal to Moscow.
By Guy Birchall
