The United States urged Russia on Wednesday to accept an unconditional one-month ceasefire in Ukraine, following a proposal agreed upon by American and Ukrainian officials.
This development followed discussions between representatives from both nations, aimed at persuading Moscow to halt the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Kyiv’s willingness to accept the ceasefire plan. Addressing reporters, he stated, “We are prepared to embrace this agreement to stop the fighting,” while emphasizing that the U.S. had made it clear that any rejection from the Kremlin would prompt a “strong” response.
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Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the war has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties. The joint U.S.-Ukrainian proposal represented another attempt to negotiate a truce amid the prolonged conflict.
This ceasefire appeal came less than two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump removed Zelensky from the White House and subsequently suspended military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. However, the U.S. resumed supplies following Ukraine’s agreement to the ceasefire during talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that Washington expected Moscow’s unconditional acceptance of the ceasefire, stating, “We need to know if they’re willing to agree to it without conditions.” He further noted, “If they say ‘yes,’ we’ll know progress has been made, and there’s a real chance for peace. If they say ‘no,’ it will be a clear indication of their true intentions.”
In response, the Kremlin stated that it was awaiting further details regarding the proposal. Earlier this month, Russia’s foreign ministry had dismissed the idea of a temporary ceasefire as “unacceptable.”
Zelensky expressed confidence that the U.S. would take strong measures if Russia rejected the ceasefire, saying, “I am certain we can rely on firm actions. While I don’t have full details yet, we are discussing sanctions and strengthening Ukraine’s position.” He continued, “It all depends on whether Russia genuinely wants peace or if it intends to continue its aggression.” He also reiterated his skepticism towards Moscow, stating, “We have said many times before that we do not trust the Russians.”
Meanwhile, the battlefield situation remained challenging for Ukraine, as the country continued to lose territory in the eastern and southern regions. On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials confirmed the deaths of eight people due to ongoing clashes. Russian forces had also regained significant ground in the western Kursk region, pushing back Ukrainian troops who had controlled the area since a surprise offensive last August.
Despite the ceasefire proposal raising hopes for de-escalation, uncertainty lingered. Ukraine sought security guarantees, but Trump ruled out NATO membership for the country. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz would provide Moscow with updates on the negotiation process.
In a related development, Russian news agencies reported that the heads of the CIA and Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence agency had their first direct phone conversation in years.
However, some Ukrainian soldiers remained skeptical about the prospects of peace. A 44-year-old serviceman in Kramatorsk remarked, “They might announce publicly that there is no fighting, but this enemy has always targeted us and will continue to do so.” Similarly, Roman Dunayevsky, a 56-year-old Ukrainian, asserted that peace would only be possible under one condition: “Peace will come only when Putin is gone. That’s the only solution.”
Meanwhile, in Washington, President Trump suggested he was open to inviting Zelensky back to the White House and hinted at a possible conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the week. He also expressed optimism that the ceasefire could be implemented “within the next few days.”
The diplomatic efforts by the U.S. and Ukraine progressed as Ukraine launched its largest-ever drone attack on Russia, resulting in three deaths near Moscow. In response, Russia escalated its aerial assaults on Ukraine and launched a counteroffensive in Kursk, reportedly reclaiming around 20 settlements in recent days.
Zelensky acknowledged the increasing pressure from Russia, stating, “Moscow is clearly attempting to maximize its offensive pressure on our troops, and our military command is responding accordingly.”
