A top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the idea of a short-term ceasefire with Ukraine, calling it merely an opportunity for Kyiv to regroup.
This rejection comes as Steve Witkoff, an envoy for former US President Donald Trump, arrived in Moscow for discussions on a proposed 30-day ceasefire.
The Russian military announced that it had successfully recaptured Sudzha, a key town in the Kursk region, which had previously been under Ukrainian control. The Kremlin also stated that the operation to push Ukrainian forces out of Russian-claimed territories was nearing completion.
Putin made an unexpected visit to Kursk to assess the situation on the ground, while Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrsky, acknowledged that some Ukrainian troops had withdrawn from the region. Despite the losses, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains committed to working with international partners to achieve peace.
The Kremlin’s rejection of the ceasefire proposal was conveyed by Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, who argued that a temporary truce would only serve as a “respite” for Ukraine to strengthen its military. Ushakov emphasized that Russia is seeking a long-term peace agreement that considers Moscow’s security concerns.
Meanwhile, global diplomatic efforts are intensifying. G7 foreign ministers are meeting in Canada to discuss strategies for ending the conflict, while NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is set to meet with Trump at the White House. Russian President Putin is also expected to address the ceasefire proposal after meeting with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
The world awaits Russia’s final stance on the US-backed ceasefire as tensions continue to escalate on the battlefield.