The Kremlin on Friday dismissed proposals for a ceasefire to allow a territorial referendum in Ukraine, describing any pause in hostilities as a tactical ploy rather than a genuine step toward ending the conflict.

“If the idea is to create a pretext for demanding a ceasefire, a respite, a pause on the front, then naturally it won’t work,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s Channel One in Turkmenistan.

Peskov stressed that Moscow is focused on a permanent resolution rather than temporary halts that Kyiv could use to regroup. “We want to work for peace, not a ceasefire. A ceasefire is a respite, another deception, another delay, another brainwashing. We need peace,” he said.

The comments came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said any decisions on territorial arrangements under peace talks must reflect the will of the Ukrainian people.

“I believe the people of Ukraine will answer this question – either through elections or a referendum – but there must be a position of the people of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

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The Kremlin’s rejection highlights the deepening divide over how to achieve peace in Ukraine, with Moscow insisting on a lasting settlement while Kyiv emphasises the need for popular legitimacy. As talks continue, the question of how and when the Ukrainian people might have a direct say in territorial decisions remains a central and unresolved issue, leaving the future of any potential ceasefire uncertain.

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