Kremlin rejects ceasefire, warns against EU peacekeepers
A temporary ceasefire would give Ukraine a "respite," the Kremlin stated, explaining its refusal to accept a truce.
Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy adviser to Vladimir Putin, said on Thursday in a state television broadcast that Moscow seeks a long-term agreement that takes its interests into account, according to News.ro, citing Le Figaro.
According to the Kremlin, the 30-day ceasefire proposed following discussions between Washington and Kyiv in Saudi Arabia would be "nothing more than a pause for Ukrainian troops," Ushakov stated.
Additionally, Russia warned on Thursday that it would regard the deployment of European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine as a "direct military conflict" with Moscow. "It is completely unacceptable to us for military units from other countries to be deployed in Ukraine (…). This would mean these nations are directly engaging in armed conflict with our country, to which we will respond with all available means," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, commenting on the possibility of European allies of Kyiv sending a contingent in the event of a ceasefire agreement.
These statements come as a U.S. delegation arrived in Moscow on Thursday to inform Russian officials about the results of discussions held in Saudi Arabia with Ukraine. The visit is part of former President Donald Trump's effort to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine after more than three years of war.
Meanwhile, Moscow announced on Thursday that it had recaptured the strategic town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, an area where Ukrainian forces launched an offensive last year to gain leverage for potential territorial negotiations. However, Russia is now on the verge of pushing Ukrainian forces out of the region, and Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly visited the front lines there on Wednesday.
Ukraine has expressed its willingness to suspend military operations for 30 days, while the United States could resume arms deliveries and intelligence sharing. During discussions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, U.S. and Ukrainian representatives agreed on the steps needed to achieve long-term peace and security, according to a statement from the Ukrainian Presidency.
The Ukrainian delegation expressed gratitude for U.S. support and emphasized the importance of international cooperation in reaching a peace agreement. Ukraine has accepted the U.S. proposal for a temporary ceasefire, which could be extended by mutual agreement, provided that the Russian Federation also accepts and implements it simultaneously.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
