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Outlining Russia’s position on the 30-day Ukraine ceasefire proposal, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told the Russian media Thursday morning that it would amount to nothing more than “a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military” and a chance for it to regroup, foreign media reported.
Russia is seeking a “long-term peace settlement in Ukraine that takes into account Moscow’s interests and concerns”, BBC quoted Ushakov as saying.
A “normal exchange of opinions” between Russia and the US is “taking place in a calm manner”, Ushakov reportedly said adding that the US understands that Ukraine’s membership of NATO was “out of the question”.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport on Thursday, Russian state media reported.
The Gulfstream G650 jet plane had taken off from Doha’s Hamad International Airport and around 8:40 GMT, entered Russian airspace from the direction of Latvia, TASS reported citing FlightRadar tracking data.
Reports suggest that Witkoff will meet with high-level Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin.
Earlier today, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Russia was paying attention to the incoming signals, noting Washington’s positive rhetoric and supporting “a positive, constructive attitude aimed at peace, cooperation, and mutual understanding, both from the current US administration and from any side, wherever that may come from”.
Trump had, earlier this week, said that “it’s up to Russia now” as his administration presses Moscow to agree to a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine said it would support.
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