Editor's note: The article was expanded with a statement from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov for the Russian media.
Russia is unlikely to agree to a temporary truce in Ukraine proposed by the U.S., feeling it has the upper hand on the battlefield and viewing the ceasefire as a trap, Reuters reported on March 12, citing undisclosed Russian sources.
Any ceasefire agreement would have to take Russia's battlefield advances into account and provide "guarantees" to Moscow, sources told the news agency.
Ukraine agreed to the U.S.'s proposal for a 30-day truce during talks in Jeddah on March 11, after which Washington resumed military and intelligence support for Kyiv. The U.S. is expected to discuss the proposal with Russia in the coming days.
In the past, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top officials have ruled out a temporary ceasefire that would freeze the conflict along the current front lines.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov gave an evasive answer when asked about the U.S. proposal, explaining that the topic must first be discussed with the American side.
"Look, you are getting a little ahead of yourselves, we don't want to do that," Peskov told journalists, according to the pro-state outlet Kommersant.
Russia continues to occupy roughly 20% of Ukraine's territory and made steady advances in Donetsk Oblast in late 2024. While Russia's advance in Ukraine's east has reportedly stalled earlier this year, Moscow's troops seemed to have made rapid gains in Kursk Oblast, the Russian border region where Ukraine has been fighting since August 2024.
One source told Reuters that a ceasefire could weaken Russia's position, as the West could pin the blame on Moscow should it fail to end the war.
Russian nationalist voices and pro-war bloggers have already denounced the ceasefire proposal. Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the international committee in the Russian Senate, said that any deal should be hashed out on Moscow's terms.
Kateryna Hodunova
(Updated: )
