Too soon to comment on new peace initiatives, Kremlin says after reported US-Ukraine ceasefire talks

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on July 26 that it was "premature" for Moscow to comment on reports that the United States and Ukraine have been coordinating proposals for an aerial ceasefire.

Peskov's comments come after the Kyiv Independent reported on July 24 that Ukraine and the U.S. are preparing a new round of peace proposals, including a partial aerial ceasefire, to present to Moscow.

"We do not know how credible these reports are or where they come from. These are newspaper reports and nothing more," Peskov said on July 26, following additional media reports that the U.S. and Ukraine were collaborating on an aerial ceasefire proposal.

"Therefore, it is ​premature to comment on them at this stage."

Peskov said the Russian government needs to learn more information about the new peace proposals and evaluate how closely they align with Russia's interests.

"We have heard statements that some new formulas may be possible. We still need to learn more about them," he 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."

On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine had already communicated its ceasefire proposals directly to Russia.

"We have made all the necessary proposals to the political leadership of Russia to end the war with a worthy peace," Zelensky said. "All partners know what needs to be done."

The president said Ukraine would continue carrying out deep strikes in Russia, focusing on striking an updated list of targets, in order to pressure Moscow back to the negotiating table.

Previously, U.S. and Ukrainian officials told the Kyiv Independent that the increasing success of Ukraine's long-range strikes and shifting dynamics of the war could create conditions for a renewed diplomatic effort following a months-long stalemate.  One U.S. official said the White House believes the Kremlin may now be more willing to accept at least a partial ceasefire in the air as Ukraine expands its strike campaign.

Zelensky also reported a recent phone call with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the U.S. envoys who have been representing the U.S. in trilateral talks with Kyiv and Moscow. Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump are also preparing to meet again soon, possibly on the sidelines of the late Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral on July 28.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Manila on July 23, saying afterwards that "new ideas" would be needed to reach a peace deal. Rubio argued that previous ideas — such as surrendering to Russia territory Ukraine currently controls — had been unacceptable to Ukraine and would likely be even less acceptable now.

While Russia has remained committed to its maximalist demands, achieving a partial ceasefire on air attacks may be a realistic goal, as both Kyiv and Moscow have ramped up long-range strikes in recent months.

Russia has launched a wave of devastating mass missile and drone strikes against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities over the spring and summer, relying on high-speed ballistic missiles to overwhelm Ukraine's strained air defenses.

Ukraine, in turn, has hammered Russian oil assets and logistics hubs, triggering a major fuel crisis throughout the country and hitting high-profile targets, including the Moscow Oil Refinery and e-commerce giant Wildberries.