The United States called on Russia on Wednesday to "unconditionally" agree to a month-long ceasefire in Ukraine, following a proposal agreed upon by US and Ukrainian officials.
This marked a significant development after discussions between US and Ukrainian representatives aimed at persuading Moscow to halt the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Kyiv’s readiness to accept the ceasefire plan. Speaking to reporters, Zelensky said, "We are ready to embrace this deal to halt the fighting," adding that the United States had made it clear that any refusal from the Kremlin would trigger a "strong" response.
The war, which had been raging since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has claimed tens of thousands of lives. The joint US-Ukrainian proposal represented a new attempt to negotiate a truce amidst the ongoing conflict.
This call for a ceasefire proposal arrived less than two weeks after US President Donald Trump removed Zelensky from the White House, subsequently halting all military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. However, the US resumed supplies following Ukraine’s agreement to the ceasefire at talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the United States sought Moscow’s unconditional agreement to the ceasefire, stating, "That's what we want to know – if they're prepared to do it unconditionally." He further added, "If the response is, 'yes', then we know we've made real progress, and there's a real chance of peace. If their response is 'no', it would be highly unfortunate, and it'll make their intentions clear."
In response, the Kremlin said it was waiting for further details on the proposal. Earlier in the month, Russia's foreign ministry had deemed a temporary ceasefire "unacceptable."
President Zelensky expressed confidence in US pressure on Moscow if the ceasefire was rejected. He stated, "I understand that we can count on strong steps. I don't know the details yet but we are talking about sanctions and strengthening Ukraine," while adding, "Everything depends on whether Russia wants a ceasefire and silence, or it wants to continue killing people." He further stressed, "I have emphasised this many times, none of us trust the Russians."
At the same time, the situation on the battlefield remained challenging for Ukraine, with the country losing ground in the east and south. On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials confirmed the deaths of eight people as a result of the fighting. Russia had also reclaimed substantial territory in the western Kursk region, pushing back Ukrainian forces that had held the area since the shock offensive launched last August.
While the ceasefire proposal raised hopes of a potential de-escalation, uncertainties remained. Ukraine had called for security guarantees, although Trump ruled out NATO membership for the country. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz would "inform" Moscow on the progress made during the negotiations.
In a related development, Russian news agencies reported that the heads of the CIA and Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence agency had held their first phone call in several years.
However, some Ukrainian soldiers expressed scepticism about the likelihood of peace. A 44-year-old serviceman in Kramatorsk remarked, "They'll say in public that there's no fighting and no shelling, but this scum has always harassed us and it will continue to." Meanwhile, Roman Dunayevsky, a 56-year-old Ukrainian, was resolute in his belief that peace would only come under one condition: "Peace will come when Putin dies. That's the only way."
In Washington, President Trump indicated he was ready to welcome Zelensky back to the White House and suggested he might speak to Putin later in the week. He also expressed hope that the ceasefire could be established "over the next few days."
The US and Ukraine had made significant strides in their diplomatic efforts, even as Ukraine launched its largest-ever drone attack on Russia, killing three people near Moscow. In retaliation, Russia intensified its aerial assaults on Ukraine and launched a counter-offensive in Kursk, reportedly reclaiming around 20 settlements in recent days.
Zelensky acknowledged the ongoing pressure from Russia, stating, "Russia is clearly trying to put maximum pressure on our troops – and our military command is doing what it has to do."
