Russia rejects temporary ceasefire, seeks long-term peace deal

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has rejected the idea of a temporary ceasefire with Ukraine, stating that Moscow is instead seeking a long-term peace agreement. Peskov noted that President Vladimir Putin and other officials have repeatedly expressed a desire for lasting peace rather than short-term pauses.

Regarding potential election-related pauses, Peskov suggested that Russia might consider a one-day cessation of attacks specifically on the day of elections in Kyiv, should Ukraine proceed with them. This follows a proposal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a 60-day ceasefire to facilitate the electoral process.

In a separate development at the Warsaw Security Forum, German diplomat Johann Wadephul argued that Russia must be the one to take the first step toward negotiating a limited ceasefire. Wadephul emphasized that since Ukraine did not start the war, the responsibility lies with Moscow to halt attacks on energy infrastructure. He also called for Europe to formulate an independent position on ending the conflict.