Kremlin aides said Thursday that the ceasefire proposed by Ukraine and Russia in Russia would be “not related to Russia” while taking a break by giving Kiev a tired and brief army.
Yuri Ushakov told the Russian media: “A 30-day temporary ceasefire. Well, what does it give us? It gives us nothing. It only provides the Ukrainians with the opportunity to reorganize, build strength and continue the same thing.”
His comments follow claims from the Russian Ministry of Defense, whose troops drove Ukrainian troops out of the largest town in Russia's Kursk border area. Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the claim, which could not be independently verified.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement on recapturing the town of Sudzha came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited his commander in Kursk and wore military fatigue.
Trump hints sanctions
When U.S. President Donald Trump urged the three-year war the day before forced diplomacy to end, Russian military re-challenges and Putin made a high-profile visit to his troops. Trump said on Wednesday that “it’s up to Russia now” and that if he doesn’t participate in the peace efforts, he faces a cover-up threat to attack Russia with new sanctions.
When asked about possible sanctions, Trump told White House reporters when asked about possible sanctions Wednesday: “We can, but I hope it's not necessary. Of course, we can put pressure on Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that U.S. negotiators were heading to Russia, but added that he would not comment on Moscow's view on the ceasefire proposal because the negotiations “have not begun.”
Senior U.S. officials said they hope to see Russia stop attacks on Ukraine in the next few days.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz spoke with his Russian counterpart on Wednesday. She also confirmed that Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow to hold talks with Russian officials, possibly Putin.
Russian news agency reported on Thursday that Vikov's plane had landed in Moscow. It is impossible to verify the report immediately.
Senior U.S. officials said they hope to see Russia stop attacks on Ukraine in the next few days.
Ukrainian army's “temporary rest”
But Putin's foreign policy adviser Ushakov complained in a televised speech Thursday that the ceasefire would give “a temporary rest for the Ukrainian army.”
Ushakov said Moscow hopes for a long-term peaceful solution that takes into account Moscow's interests and concerns.” His comment was the day after the call with Waltz.
Ushakov's comments responded to Putin's statement, who repeatedly stated that a temporary ceasefire would benefit Ukraine and its Western allies.
The United States still has about $3.85 billion in the U.S. sending future weapons to Ukraine in Congress-mandated funds, but so far the Trump administration has no interest in using that power to send other weapons, as it awaits the outcome of a peace proposal.
Ukraine demonstrated its openness by opening up to a ceasefire, showing the Kremlin a dilemma when the Russian military gained the upper hand in the war – whether to accept a truce and give up hope for new gains, rejecting a cautious offer and danger with Washington.
The Ukrainian army's foothold within Russia has been under tremendous pressure with the renewed efforts of the Russian troops and the support of the North Korean troops. Ukraine's bold invasion last August caused foreign troops to occupy Russian soil for the first time since World War II and embarrass the Kremlin.
Putin told commanders on Wednesday that he hopes the military “totally lift the Kursk region out of the enemy in the near future”.
Putin added that in the future, “it is necessary to consider creating a safe zone alongside the state borders”, a signal that Moscow could try to expand its territorial gains by capturing parts of Ukraine’s neighboring Sumi region. This idea could complicate the ceasefire agreement.
Ukraine launched a raid to oppose the constant news on the frontline and to draw Russian troops away from the internal battlefield of Ukraine and gain bargaining chips in any peace negotiations. But the invasion did not significantly change the driving force for war.
The Washington-based think tank War Institute assessed Russian forces control Suz late Wednesday.
Ukraine's senior military chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi said late Wednesday that Sudzha was almost completely destroyed by the Air Russia strike against Kursk. Instead of commenting on whether Ukraine still controls the solution, he said it was a “more favorable route to go (the army).
Meanwhile, Major. He told Ukrainian media Sustilne on Wednesday that Dmytro Krasylnykov, commander of Ukrainian operations command, was fired. He told the media that he had no reason to be fired, saying, “I guess I'm guessing, but I don't want to talk about it.”
