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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