The top foreign policy adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that the 30-day ceasefire suggested by the United States to halt the war in Ukraine offers Russia “nothing”.
Yuri Ushakov, a former ambassador to Washington who articulates Mr. Putin’s stance on significant foreign policy matters, conveyed on state television that he had engaged in discussions with US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz yesterday to present Russia’s perspective on the ceasefire.
He mentioned that he had conveyed to the US that the ceasefire plan for Ukraine would merely provide Ukrainian forces with a crucial break on the battlefield.
“I expressed our position that this is merely a temporary pause for the Ukrainian military, nothing beyond that,” Mr. Ushakov stated.
“It provides us with no advantages. It solely gives the Ukrainians an opportunity to regroup, regain strength, and to persist with the ongoing conflict,” he later elaborated.
When asked if Russia was outright rejecting the proposal, Mr. Ushakov, who has been alongside Mr. Putin in the Kremlin since 2012, indicated that the president would likely address the media later today to provide a more comprehensive explanation of Russia’s stance.
“The document appears to have a rushed nature… It will be necessary to deliberate, reflect, and also consider our position. It reflects only the Ukrainian viewpoint,” Russian state news agency RIA cited Mr. Ushakov as saying.
Read more: Pro-Kremlin media outlets oppose ceasefire in Ukraine Latest Ukraine stories
Recent Russian advances along the front lines and US President Donald Trump’s attempts to broker a peace agreement to end the three-year conflict in Ukraine have heightened concerns that Ukraine, supported by the West, might face defeat.
US President Donald Trump’s Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow today to confer with President Vladimir Putin.
Russian officials reported that they had briefed Mike Waltz about the ceasefire concept yesterday and stated that Russia was open to discussions.
On Tuesday, the US agreed to resume weapon supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Ukraine indicated during talks in Saudi Arabia that it was prepared to endorse a ceasefire proposal.
US President Donald Trump expressed hope yesterday that Russia would accept a ceasefire to end the “bloodbath”, warning that failing to do so could result in financial repercussions for Russia.
Vladimir Putin engaged with his military commanders during a visit to the Kursk region (Photo: Kremlin Press Office)
In response, Russia declared that it would regard the deployment of any foreign troops in Ukraine or the establishment of foreign military bases there as unacceptable, according to a spokesperson from the foreign ministry.
Such actions would signify direct involvement of foreign nations in conflict with Russia, Maria Zakharova asserted, adding that Russia would take what she described as appropriate measures if any nation tried to deploy its forces.
“We are prepared to discuss the initiatives outlined in future engagements with the United States. Such discussions could take place as soon as today,” Ms. Zakharova stated.
Putin has instructed a swift defeat of Ukrainian forces in Kursk.
This directive comes as Vladimir Putin, clad in military fatigues, directed his top commanders to defeat Ukrainian forces in the western Kursk region as soon as possible, following the US’s request for him to consider a 30-day ceasefire proposal.
In his first visit to the Kursk region since Ukraine’s unexpected counter-offensive in August, Mr. Putin praised recent military successes and encouraged his troops.
“I am relying on the expectation that all combat tasks facing our units will be accomplished, and the Kursk region will soon be entirely liberated from the enemy,” he stated in televised comments.
The Russian military reported that its forces had recaptured 24 settlements in the border area over the past five days, as conveyed by chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov to Mr. Putin.
This morning, the Russian Defence Ministry announced the retaking of the town of Sudzha.
Read More: What is happening in Kursk and why does it matter?
Ukrainian forces breached the Russian border on 6 August, seizing a portion of land inside Russia to distract Moscow’s forces from the front lines in eastern Ukraine and to acquire a potential bargaining chip.
However, a rapid Russian advance in recent days has left Ukraine with less than 200 square kilometers in Kursk, significantly down from the 1,300 square kilometers at the peak of last summer’s incursion, according to Russian military reports.
“Our immediate task is to decisively defeat the enemy entrenched in the Kursk region in the shortest time possible,” Mr. Putin instructed his generals in remarks that aired on television late yesterday.
“Additionally, we need to consider the establishment of a security zone along the state border.”
A building in Lgov in Kursk showing damage from previous Ukrainian attacks last month
Moments after Mr. Putin’s remarks were broadcast on Russian state TV, the commander of Ukraine’s army suggested that his troops were strategically pulling back to minimize casualties.
“In the most challenging situations, my primary focus has been and will continue to be the safety of Ukrainian soldiers. Therefore, the defense forces will reposition as necessary to more favorable locations,” commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky stated in a Facebook post.
Mr. Syrsky mentioned yesterday that Ukrainian forces would continue their operations in Kursk for as long as required and that fighting persisted in and around Sudzha.
He reported that 942 Russian soldiers had been captured as prisoners of war.
Valery Gerasimov told Mr. Putin that Russian forces had driven Ukrainian units out of over 86% of the territory they once maintained in Kursk, which amounts to 1,100 square kilometers of land.
He asserted that Ukraine’s intention to use Kursk as leverage in potential future discussions with Russia had failed, and its strategy to prompt Russia to reallocate troops from its eastern advances had not succeeded either.
Mr. Gerasimov confirmed that Russian forces had reclaimed 24 settlements and 259 square kilometers of land from Ukrainian troops over the past five days, along with over 400 prisoners.
