All attention was focused on Moscow on Wednesday as American and Ukrainian officials expressed willingness to implement a 30-day ceasefire in the country’s ongoing three-year war. It was emphasized that the decision ultimately rested with Russia. The Kremlin, cautious not to act prematurely, stated they awaited direct communication from Washington regarding a potential call between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin later in the week. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed the press that they were carefully reviewing the statements and familiarizing themselves with the joint statement released after the breakthrough discussions between Ukrainian and Russian officials. Peskov did not dismiss the possibility of a discussion between Trump and Putin in the near future, as hinted by the U.S. president earlier in the week.
In response to a Russian drone strike in Odesa, Ukraine on Tuesday, firefighters were seen battling a blaze. Peskov’s remarks followed a summit on Tuesday in Jeddah, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and their Ukrainian counterparts engaged in lengthy negotiations. While details on the war’s resolution were not disclosed, both parties tentatively agreed to a one-month ceasefire. Rubio confirmed plans to reach out to Russia later in the day to gauge their response on Ukraine’s proposal to cease hostilities and initiate peace talks.
Meanwhile, Russian President Putin has not offered any concessions to end the conflict, nor has he been prompted to do so by President Trump. Contrarily, Trump suggested that Ukraine may need to relinquish the portion of territory controlled by Russia and forgo NATO membership. Rubio expressed the need to establish mutual trust in selecting monitors for ceasefire violations should Russia agree. Despite Russia’s history of breaking ceasefire agreements with Ukraine, Macron and Starmer applauded the progress made in the recent talks and urged Russia to commit to a ceasefire.
While some voices in Moscow opposed the deal reached in Jeddah, expressing concerns of Ukrainian rearmament during a ceasefire, others viewed it as a step towards peace in Ukraine. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova emphasized that Russia’s stance would not be influenced by external parties, reiterating that Russia’s position is formed independently.
In the Russian Federation, the “ceasefire agreement will not work,” according to Alexander Dugin, an ultranationalist philosopher often called ‘Putin’s Rasputin’ due to his long beard and ties to the Kremlin. Dugin stated in a post on X that Putin will not accept a ceasefire without discussing the conditions for a lasting peace, as Russia has made clear many times in the past. Senators Rubio and Waltz proposed a plan after lengthy discussions with Ukrainian officials, including the Foreign Affairs Minister, Defense Minister, and the president’s chief of staff. They agreed to resume U.S. aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine and expressed willingness to implement a 30-day ceasefire. Rubio mentioned that it would be Moscow’s decision to accept the proposal. He stated, “Ukraine is prepared to cease hostilities and engage in dialogue. The ball is in Russia’s court now.” However, even if Putin agrees to this temporary truce, there are still significant differences between Russia and Ukraine, with the latter seeking security assurances before agreeing to a ceasefire with a neighboring country that has violated previous agreements.
