Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, confirmed that the country is prepared to discuss the peace proposal with U.S. representatives as early as Thursday.
Zakharova’s statement came after Ukraine indicated its willingness to accept a 30-day ceasefire, a proposal put forward by the U.S. after a series of discussions between Washington and Kyiv.
“We are ready to discuss the initiatives set out there in future contacts with the United States. Such contacts are already possible as early as today,” Zakharova said in an official statement.
This announcement follows recent developments involving U.S. officials.
The Kremlin revealed that U.S. negotiators were on their way to Russia, with key figures such as Russian foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov and U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz having spoken by phone on Wednesday.
Trump’s warning to Putin
In the United States, Donald Trump reiterated his focus on peace, while also suggesting the possibility of financial pressure on Russia should the country refuse to engage in a ceasefire deal with Ukraine. Trump emphasised that while financial measures could be used, his priority was to achieve peace. “I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia. I don’t want to do that because I want to get peace,” Trump stated.
U.S. officials are planning to visit Russia to discuss a proposed 30-day halt in hostilities, with Ukraine having already agreed to the ceasefire. However, the next move now rests with Moscow.
Trump expressed hope that Russia would agree to the ceasefire, although he remained cautious, noting that while some positive signals had been received, the situation was still uncertain.
US seeks an unconditional response from Russia
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said that the Trump administration seeks an unconditional response from Russia to the ceasefire proposal.
“If their response is ‘yes’, we know we’ve made real progress. If it’s ‘no’, then their intentions are clear,” Rubio was quoted as saying following a G7 meeting in Canada.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, Ukraine remains skeptical about Russia’s commitment to a ceasefire. President Volodymyr Zelensky questioned whether Russia genuinely seeks peace or intends to continue its military actions.
“Everything depends on whether Russia wants peace or to continue killing people,” Zelensky said.
On the battlefield, Ukraine faces increasing difficulties, with significant losses in the east and south.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited troops in the western Kursk region, where he assured soldiers that “all combat tasks will be fulfilled.”
In a further sign of the ongoing conflict, Moscow reported that its forces had shot down 77 Ukrainian drones in the latest escalation, just days after Kyiv launched its most extensive attack on the Russian capital since the conflict began three years ago. Ukrainian cities, including Kherson and Kyiv, also came under attack, with reports of casualties.
(With inputs from agencies)
