Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov attends a gathering of the presidents of Russia and Belarus on the Kremlin in Moscow on Thursday.
Maxim Shemetov/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
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Maxim Shemetov/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
As U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff enters talks with Russian officers in Moscow on a Trump administration proposal Ukraine has already accepted for a 30-day ceasefire, President Vladimir Putin’s overseas coverage adviser, Yuri Ushakov, rejected the concept.
Talking on Russian state tv, Ushakov dismissed a 30-day ceasefire as a mere “breather” for Ukrainian troops, emphasizing Moscow’s choice for substantive peace talks.
Ushakov reiterated Russia’s calls for: Ukraine should acknowledge Russia’s annexation of Crimea and 4 southeastern areas, withdraw troops from lands claimed by Russia and pledge by no means to hitch NATO. He stated he “hopes [the United States] knows our position and wants to believe that they will take it into account as we work together going forward.”
Moscow additionally seeks limits on Ukraine’s army, protections for Russian audio system and elections to interchange Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In the meantime, Russian forces have reclaimed many of the territory misplaced in final summer season’s Ukrainian offensive in Russia’s Kursk area.
The U.S. restored army help to Ukraine after ceasefire talks Tuesday in Saudi Arabia. Trump, pushing for a ceasefire, warned Russia of economic penalties if Putin resists.