A senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the prospect of a short-term ceasefire with Ukraine, describing it as “nothing but a temporary respite” for Kyiv. The statement comes as former U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Moscow for discussions on a proposed 30-day ceasefire.
Key Developments:
- Russia’s military has announced the recapture of Sudzha, a strategically significant town in the Kursk region that was previously taken by Ukrainian forces.
- The Kremlin had earlier stated that it was in the final stage of an operation to reclaim Ukrainian-held territory across the border.
- Putin made an unannounced visit to Kursk on Wednesday, while Ukraine’s military chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, indicated that some Ukrainian forces were withdrawing from the region.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed the country’s commitment to working with its partners “as quickly as possible” towards peace, while Putin has yet to comment on the ceasefire proposal.
G7 Disagreements on Ceasefire Language At the G7 meeting in Quebec, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for an immediate ceasefire. However, differences have emerged between the U.S. and European leaders over the wording of any joint statement.
European nations, while welcoming the ceasefire initiative, remain firm in their stance that Russia is the aggressor in the conflict. Rubio, on the other hand, has urged against using language that might be perceived as antagonistic.
Ukraine Welcomes Expanded Ceasefire Proposal Zelensky described recent talks with U.S. representatives in Saudi Arabia as “entirely constructive,” revealing that Ukraine was initially prepared for an air and sea ceasefire, but the U.S. proposed extending it to land operations.
“Ukraine welcomes this proposal,” Zelensky stated, adding that discussions on mechanisms to monitor compliance were ongoing.
As diplomatic efforts continue, the international community watches closely to see whether Russia will engage with the ceasefire proposal or persist with its military operations.