US Delegation in Moscow for Ceasefire Talks as Russia Retakes Key Town
US Officials Push for Ukraine Ceasefire in Moscow Amid Russian Military Gains
A US delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday to negotiate a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine had previously agreed to the proposal in talks with the US earlier this week.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that discussions were ongoing in a "calm manner" but dismissed the truce offer, calling it merely a temporary reprieve that would allow Ukrainian forces to regroup. He emphasized that Russia sought a lasting peace settlement that aligned with its national interests rather than short-term agreements that "imitate peaceful actions."
The diplomatic push comes as Russia claimed to have recaptured the strategic town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, which Ukraine seized in a surprise attack last year. During a visit to Kursk on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin met with military commanders, who reported that Russian troops had reclaimed 86% of the contested area and were close to fully expelling Ukrainian forces.
Following the US-Ukraine negotiations in Jeddah on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that it was now up to the US to persuade Russia to accept the ceasefire. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced this stance, saying, "The ball is truly in their [Russia's] court," and that Washington remains committed to ending the conflict through diplomacy.
Former President Donald Trump, addressing the situation from the Oval Office, said he had received "positive messages" about the ceasefire proposal but remained skeptical. "A positive message means nothing. This is a very serious situation," he stated. He suggested that a ceasefire could benefit Russia but also hinted at financial pressure if Moscow refused to cooperate. "I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia, but I don’t want to do that—I want to get peace."
The Jeddah meeting marked the first high-level US-Ukraine engagement since a heated exchange on February 28 between Zelensky, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance, which led to a temporary suspension of US military aid and intelligence-sharing. The freeze was lifted following the Jeddah talks, with Trump now asserting that Ukraine and Zelensky were showing a renewed willingness to negotiate peace.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, the war continues to escalate. Overnight, Russian drones and missiles struck targets in Kryvyy Rih—Zelensky’s hometown—as well as in the port city of Odesa, Dnipro, and Kharkiv. Meanwhile, Russian forces continued their advance in the Kursk region, reportedly recapturing territory that Ukrainian troops had seized last year.
Putin has yet to comment on the ceasefire proposal, but Russian media reported that he ordered his military to "fully liberate" the Kursk region during his recent visit. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military commander, Oleksandr Syrsky, signaled possible troop withdrawals from the area, stating that his priority remains "saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers."
As diplomatic negotiations continue, both sides remain locked in intense combat, with the prospects for a ceasefire still uncertain.
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