U.S. officials are in Moscow to discuss a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, amid doubts over whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will accept the deal, despite Ukraine’s willingness and U.S. efforts to broker the agreement.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday morning to present the ceasefire proposal, which Ukraine agreed to earlier this week following discussions with the U.S. in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The 30-day ceasefire plan, which is being pushed by the U.S. as a means to de-escalate the war, is now awaiting Russia’s response. However, there are strong indications that Putin may reject the proposal, with many within the Kremlin arguing that Russia is in a position of strength following its recent victories in Ukraine.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, in a televised statement on Thursday, downplayed the proposal, stating that it would amount to nothing more than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military.
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“Our aim is a long-lasting peaceful settlement that takes into account our country’s legitimate interests and concerns. No one needs such steps that only imitate peaceful actions,” he said. Ushakov further added that while talks with the U.S. were “taking place in a calm manner,” Russia was skeptical about the intentions behind the ceasefire.
The American visit comes at a pivotal moment in the war, as Russia has claimed to have recaptured Sudzha, a key town in the Kursk region that Ukraine had seized last year in a surprise offensive. During a visit to Kursk on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin met with military commanders, who informed him that Russian forces had retaken 86% of the occupied area and were in the final stages of expelling Ukrainian troops.
Putin has yet to publicly comment on the ceasefire proposal, but analysts believe the recent military successes could make him more reluctant to agree to a pause in hostilities.
During the discussions in Jeddah, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the U.S. to convince Russia to agree to the “positive” ceasefire proposal. Following the talks, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that “the ball is truly in their [Russia’s] court” and emphasized that the U.S. believes peace negotiations are the only viable way to end the conflict.
President Donald Trump, who has been actively involved in the negotiations, also weighed in on the situation, acknowledging that he had received “positive messages” regarding a possible ceasefire. However, he expressed skepticism, saying, “But a positive message means nothing. This is a very serious situation.”
Trump further suggested that Russia should consider the ceasefire, warning that he could take financial measures against Moscow if necessary.
“I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia. I don’t want to do that because I want to get peace.” His remarks suggest that Washington is considering additional leverage to push Moscow into accepting the deal.
“We have a very complex situation solved on one side. Pretty much solved. We’ve also discussed land and other things that go with it,” Trump said, implying that negotiations have touched on territorial issues but provided no further details.
While the ceasefire discussions continue, fighting has intensified across Ukraine. Overnight, Russian drones and missiles reportedly struck targets in Kryvyy Rih, Zelensky’s hometown, as well as in the strategic port city of Odesa, and in Dnipro and Kharkiv. Clashes are also ongoing in Russia’s Kursk region, where Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian troops were “successfully advancing” and reclaiming lost territories.
Ukraine initially launched its offensive in the Kursk region last August, making significant territorial gains by capturing around 100 towns and villages. However, Russia has since reversed much of that progress. Russian media report that during his recent visit, Putin ordered the military to “fully liberate” the region, an indication that Moscow intends to continue its offensive rather than accept a ceasefire.
Kremlin insiders suggest that Russia’s current military momentum could make it difficult for Putin to justify halting the war at this stage.
“Putin believes he is winning,” a senior Russian government source told Reuters. “Why would he stop now?”
Others within the Russian establishment are reportedly divided, with some suggesting that a temporary ceasefire could be used strategically to consolidate gains and prepare for further offensives, while hardliners argue that agreeing to a truce now would signal weakness.
Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrsky acknowledged on Wednesday that some Ukrainian troops were withdrawing from Kursk. In a Telegram post, he stated, “In the most difficult situation, my priority has been and remains saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.”
This retreat has fueled speculation that Ukraine is struggling to hold its positions and may have accepted the ceasefire deal as a means to regroup.
As negotiations continue, Moscow has reiterated its firm stance on NATO-related issues. Ushakov claimed on Thursday that both Russia and the U.S. agreed that “there can be no talk about NATO in the context of the Ukrainian settlement and in the context of Ukraine’s future.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova took this a step further, warning that Russia would not tolerate any foreign military presence in Ukraine, whether under national flags or as part of peacekeeping operations.
“For us, it is absolutely unacceptable to deploy units of the armed forces of other states in Ukraine under any flag, whether it be a foreign contingent, military bases, or some peacekeeping operations,” she said, adding that Russia would respond “with all available means.”
With Ukraine having already agreed to the U.S.-backed ceasefire plan, the focus is now on Russia. However, the combination of recent battlefield successes and internal divisions within the Kremlin raises serious doubts about whether Putin will accept the deal. While U.S. officials remain hopeful, many analysts believe that Moscow may instead push forward with its offensive, further prolonging the war and complicating diplomatic efforts to bring it to an end.