U.S. and Ukraine Push for Ceasefire as Envoy Prepares for Moscow Talks, Putin Visits Kursk For First Time Since Incursion
On March 12, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed Ukraine’s readiness to pursue a peace agreement, though Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet accepted the ceasefire deal.
US/MOSCOW — Following discussions with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia on March 11, 2025, in Jeddah, aimed at addressing the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a U.S. envoy, Steve Witkoff, is scheduled to travel to Moscow to negotiate a potential ceasefire. The talks resulted in Ukraine agreeing to a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, contingent on Russia’s acceptance.
On March 12, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a military command post in the Kursk region, his first trip there since Ukrainian forces entered the area in August 2024, to review operations. During the visit, Putin stated that captured Ukrainian soldiers would be classified as terrorists under Russian law, while Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported that Russian forces had captured approximately 430 Ukrainian soldiers in recent actions.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Steve Witkoff, his special envoy, along with a team of American negotiators, is set to visit Moscow this week to pursue a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump, on March 12, 2025, stated, “People are going to Russia right now as we speak. And hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia,” noting that recent communications from Moscow suggest a ceasefire may be possible.
On March 12, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed Ukraine’s readiness to pursue a peace agreement, stating, “We must move toward peace, toward security guarantees, and we need to free our people. We are determined to work as quickly as possible with our partners.”
He noted ongoing Russian attacks, including nightly drone strikes with approximately 100 Shahed drones and regular missile strikes on civilian infrastructure, such as in Odesa, and emphasized the need for diplomatic efforts to pressure Russia. Zelensky added that he awaits a report from the Ukrainian delegation involved in the Saudi Arabia talks.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the U.S. delegation in Saudi Arabia, stated on March 12, 2025, that the United States seeks a ceasefire from Russia without preconditions, saying, “That’s what we want to know, whether they’re prepared to do it unconditionally. If the response is ‘yes,’ then we know we’ve made real progress, and there’s a real chance of peace. If their response is ‘no,’ it would be highly unfortunate, and it’ll make their intentions clear.”
Rubio noted that the U.S. has initiated contacts with Russia starting March 12, 2025, to assess its willingness to agree to the ceasefire, with negotiations expected to proceed this week. He also mentioned that the U.S. discussed possible territorial concessions with Ukraine, though details were not provided. Following the Saudi Arabia talks, the U.S. agreed to resume military assistance and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, reversing a prior pause.
The U.S. has indicated potential consequences, such as increased sanctions, if Russia rejects the ceasefire, though officials stated they hope such measures will not be needed.
Ukraine Still Controls Around 115 Square Miles Of Kursk, Russia
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