Kremlin Confirms Arrival of Trump Envoy as Ceasefire Talks with U.S. Progress

On Thursday, the Kremlin verified that U.S. negotiators were en route to Moscow for scheduled discussions, as Washington aims to persuade Russia to agree to a 30-day truce in Ukraine.

“Negotiators are on their way, and indeed, meetings are arranged,” stated Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov to reporters, though he did not disclose the names of the U.S. delegation.

Earlier, the White House announced that President Donald Trump’s representative, Steve Witkoff, a mediator involved in the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, would arrive in Moscow this week.

Flight tracking services and coverage by Russian state media indicated that Witkoff’s aircraft touched down at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport around 12:30 p.m. local time on Thursday.

As reported by the business newspaper Kommersant, President Vladimir Putin is expected to meet with Witkoff later in the day, following talks with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Peskov also mentioned that Yuri Ushakov, a presidential aide, spoke via phone with U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz the previous day.

When asked about his discussion with Waltz, Ushakov seemed to dismiss the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in remarks to state media on Thursday.

“I naturally provided commentary on the agreements reached about a temporary ceasefire and reiterated our position that this is merely a short pause for Ukrainian forces—nothing more,” the Kremlin official stated.

“These kinds of actions, which only mimic efforts for peace, appear unnecessary under the current circumstances,” Ushakov added.

These discussions follow Ukraine’s agreement to a 30-day ceasefire mediated by the U.S. during talks in Saudi Arabia. Moscow has requested additional information before deciding on the proposal.

Trump expressed on Wednesday that he hoped Putin would agree to the truce or else face “very severe, devastating” financial penalties.

“However, I don’t want to resort to that, as I prefer to see peace. And we are nearing a potential agreement,” Trump told reporters.

Faced with economic pressures, Russia has been seeking relief from sanctions as part of any potential agreement. On Thursday, Peskov reiterated Moscow’s position that the sanctions are “illegal,” but he refrained from further comments ahead of the discussions.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who headed the American negotiating team during the talks with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia, stated that Washington wants Moscow to commit to the ceasefire without any conditions.

However, Putin indicated on Trump’s inauguration day in January that he would not accept a “temporary ceasefire” and would continue to pursue Russia’s declared interests in Ukraine.

Anonymous sources informed Reuters on Wednesday that Russia had handed the U.S. a comprehensive list of demands, echoing its previous ultimatums to Ukraine, Washington, and NATO.

Reporting contributed by AFP.