Russia is trying to delay peace for as long as possible, given the lack of its clear position on a proposed 30-day ceasefire, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 13.
Kyiv agreed to a temporary ceasefire proposed by Washington during the talks in Jeddah on March 11, provided that Russia did as well. The talks in Saudi Arabia also led to the U.S. restarting key military and intelligence support for Ukraine.
Yuri Ushakov, a Russian presidential aide, said earlier on March 13 that the Kremlin was prioritizing a long-term settlement over a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine but the final position is up to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Zelensky, Kyiv is committed to moving quickly toward peace and is prepared to do its part in creating "all of the conditions for a reliable, durable, and decent peace."
"Regrettably, for more than a day already, the world has yet to hear a meaningful response from Russia to the proposals made," he said. "This once again demonstrates that Russia seeks to prolong the war and postpone peace for as long as possible."
The U.S. is ready to organize the technical aspects of control over the temporary truce, Zelensky said. He voiced hope that Washington's pressure would be "sufficient" to compel Russia to end its all-out war.
Zelensky's remarks come as U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Moscow for talks on the proposed 30-day ceasefire.
Witkoff is expected to meet Putin later in the day, who is unlikely to agree to a temporary truce in Ukraine, according to Reuters. The news agency reported on March 12, citing undisclosed Russian sources, that Moscow feels it has the upper hand on the battlefield and viewing the ceasefire as a trap.
The ceasefire proposal coincided with Russia's breakthrough in Kursk Oblast. Moscow claimed on March 12 to have retaken over 86% of seized territories in the region, including a key town of Sudzha, captured by Ukrainian troops at the start of the Kursk incursion in August 2024.
Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi acknowledged the "difficult situation" in the region but said that Ukraine will hold the defenses "as long as reasonable and necessary."
Chris York
