The Kremlin said Sunday it is too early to weigh in on reports that the United States and Ukraine have been holding discussions about a potential pause in aerial attacks as part of a broader push to revive peace negotiations over the ongoing war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks after a Ukrainian source told Reuters that Ukrainian and U.S. officials had been exploring a proposal for an air ceasefire — one they intended to bring to Russia as part of fresh diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, which began with Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
According to the source, Ukraine has previously approached Russian President Vladimir Putin with ceasefire offers, all of which were rejected. Still, some officials believe that continued Ukrainian drone and missile strikes are putting enough economic pressure on Russia that Putin’s position could eventually soften.
Peskov dismissed the reports as unverified, saying through the Interfax news agency: “We do not know how credible these reports are or where they come from. These are newspaper reports and nothing more. Therefore, it is premature to comment on them at this stage.”
He added that Russia’s reaction to any future peace proposal would hinge on whether it serves Moscow’s interests. “We have heard statements that some new formulas may be possible. We still need to learn more about them,” Peskov said. “And, over time, some formulas or proposals will probably be put forward. What happens next will depend on how closely they correspond to our interests.”
Peskov also confirmed that Russia continues to maintain open lines of communication with U.S. negotiators. Russian officials have expressed hope that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Moscow when their schedules permit, and that talks with Washington will continue.
Peace efforts led by the United States have largely hit a wall in recent months, with diplomatic focus also being pulled toward the Iran war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke this week with Witkoff and Kushner about the prospects for restarting talks with Russia. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday.
