The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected a proposed Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine, saying any truce would depend on reaching a broader peace agreement.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was unwilling to participate in what it viewed as short-term or unviable arrangements, adding that the key issue was whether negotiations were moving towards a broader agreement.
“The question now is whether we, as President Donald Trump says, will reach a deal or not,” Peskov said. “If the Ukrainians seek to substitute moving towards a deal with momentary and non-viable solutions, then we are hardly ready to be a part of it.”
His remarks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Kyiv supported the idea of a ceasefire during the Christmas period, particularly proposals aimed at halting strikes on energy infrastructure.
Peskov said Moscow opposed any truce that could give Ukraine time to regroup.
“We want peace. We don’t want a truce to give Ukraine a breathing space and prepare for a continuation of the war,” he said. “We want to stop this war, achieve our goals, secure our interests, and guarantee peace in Europe for the future.”
Peskov also said Russia had not yet seen details of proposed NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine, which U.S. and European officials have said Washington is prepared to offer.
Separately, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed that Russia consider a ceasefire over Christmas and the New Year. Zelenskyy said Ukraine and the United States supported the idea, adding that its implementation depended on Russia’s political will.
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Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
Five years after Evergrande's debt crisis rattled global markets, founder Hui Ka Yan has been sentenced to life in prison, marking a dramatic new chapter in the downfall of China's former property giant.
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