Speaking on Russian state television, Ushakov dismissed a 30-day ceasefire as a mere "breather" for Ukrainian troops, emphasizing Moscow's preference for substantive peace talks. Ushakov reiterated Russia's demands: Ukraine must recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea and four southeastern regions, withdraw troops from lands claimed by Russia and pledge never to join NATO. He said he "hopes [the United States] knows our position and wants to believe that they will take it into account as we work together going forward." Moscow also seeks limits on Ukraine's military, protections for Russian speakers and elections to replace Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide said on Thursday he had told Washington that a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States to pause the war in Ukraine would simply give Kyiv's forces a much-needed battlefield respite. Russia's advances along the front since mid-2024 and U.S. President Donald Trump's attempt to strike a peace deal to end the three-year-old conflict in Ukraine have raised fears that Kyiv, which was backed by the West, could lose the war. Trump's Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday for talks. Russian officials said U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz had provided details on the ceasefire idea on Wednesday and Russia was ready to discuss it.

Russia rejected the United States-brokered ceasefire agreement for the war in Ukraine. Yuri Ushakov, a high-level aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, dismissed the bid as a move to help Ukraine regroup while it’s on the back foot. Ukraine agreed to the 30-day ceasefire proposal that was developed during talks in Saudi Arabia. Ushakov told the news channel Russia 1 that he had already explained Moscow’s position to national security adviser Mike Waltz. “I, naturally, commented on the agreements reached on a temporary truce and stated our position that this is nothing more than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, nothing more,” he said, Tass reported. “We believe that our goal is still a long-term peaceful settlement. We are striving for this, a peaceful settlement that takes into account the legitimate interests of our side, our concerns are known. It seems to me that no one needs such steps that imitate peaceful actions in this situation,” Ushakov added.