U.S.-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine would 'give nothing' to Russia, says Kremlin aide

The ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia proposed by the U.S. would "give nothing" to Russia, while helping Kyiv by giving its weary and short-handed military a break, a Kremlin aide said on Thursday.

"A 30-day temporary ceasefire. Well, what does it give us? It gives us nothing. It only gives the Ukrainians an opportunity to regroup, gain strength and, to continue the same thing," Yuri Ushakov told Russian media.

His comments follow claims by Russia's Defence Ministry that its troops have driven the Ukrainian army out of the biggest town in Russia's Kursk border region. Ukrainian officials made no immediate comment on the claim, which could not be independently verified.

The ministry's statement on recapturing the town of Sudzha came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited his commanders in Kursk and wore military fatigues, could not be independently verified.

Trump willing to apply sanctions

The renewed Russian military push and Putin's high-profile visit to his troops came as U.S. President Donald Trump pressed for a diplomatic end to the three-year war the previous day. Trump said Wednesday that "it's up to Russia now" and he made veiled threats to hit Russia with new sanctions if it won't engage with peace efforts.

"We can, but I hope it's not going to be necessary. Sure, we can pressure. We can do that with Russia," Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday when asked about possible sanctions.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Thursday that Trump is "willing to apply maximum pressure on both sides," including sanctions that reach the highest scale on Russia.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that national security adviser Mike Waltz spoke Wednesday with his Russian counterpart.

Meanwhile, a U.S. official confirmed Thursday that Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian officials. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on the matter.

Senior U.S. officials say they hope to see Russia stop attacks on Ukraine within the next few days.

'Temporary break' for Ukraine's military

But Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy adviser, complained in televised remarks on Thursday that a ceasefire would grant a "temporary break for the Ukrainian military."

Ushakov said that Moscow wants a "long-term peaceful settlement that takes into account Moscow's interests and concerns." His comments came a day after his phone call with Waltz.

Ushakov's comments echoed statements from Putin, who has repeatedly said a temporary ceasefire would benefit Ukraine and its Western allies.

The U.S. still has about $3.85 billion US in congressionally authorized funding for future arms shipments to Ukraine, but the Trump administration has shown no interest so far in using that authority to send additional weapons as it awaits the outcome of peace overtures.

By signalling its openness to a ceasefire, Ukraine has presented the Kremlin with a dilemma at a time when the Russian military has the upper hand in the war — whether to accept a truce and abandon hopes of making new gains or reject the offer and risk derailing a cautious rapprochement with Washington.

The Ukrainian army's foothold inside Russia has been under intense pressure for months from a renewed effort by Russian forces, backed by North Korean troops. Ukraine's daring incursion last August led to the first occupation of Russian soil by foreign troops since the Second World War and embarrassed the Kremlin.

Speaking to commanders Wednesday, Putin said he expected the military "to completely free the Kursk region from the enemy in the nearest future."

Putin added that in the future "it's necessary to think about creating a security zone alongside the state border," in a signal that Moscow could try to expand its territorial gains by capturing parts of Ukraine's neighbouring Sumy region. That idea could complicate a ceasefire deal.

Ukraine launched the raid in a bid to counter the unceasingly glum news from the front line, as well as draw Russian troops away from the battlefield inside Ukraine and gain a bargaining chip in any peace talks. But the incursion didn't significantly change the dynamic of the war.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, assessed late Wednesday that Russian forces were in control of Sudzha.

Ukraine's top military head, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said late Wednesday that Russian aviation had carried out an unprecedented number of strikes on Kursk and that as a result Sudzha had been almost completely destroyed. He did not comment on whether Ukraine still controlled the settlement but said it was "manoeuvring (troops) to more advantageous lines."

Meanwhile, Maj.-Gen. Dmytro Krasylnykov, commander of Ukraine's Northern Operational Command, which includes the Kursk region, was dismissed from his post, he told Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne on Wednesday. He told the outlet he was not given a reason for his dismissal, saying "I'm guessing, but I don't want to talk about it yet."