Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is now in Moscow to negotiate with Russia the proposed ceasefire agreement with Ukraine. The U.S. President stated that "now everything depends on Russia" and that if Vladimir Putin refuses to accept the ceasefire, "there are things that could be done in the financial realm that would be very bad" for Moscow.
Prior to the meeting between both delegations, Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov stated on local television that Russia does not want a temporary ceasefire, which would be a "break" for Ukrainian soldiers, but rather a "lasting peaceful settlement that takes into account the legitimate interests of our country."
Meanwhile, Putin has ordered his army to defeat the remaining Ukrainian troops in Kursk as soon as possible. The Russian President visited the region on Wednesday for the first time since Ukrainian forces took control of part of the territory eight months ago, just as Ukraine decided to withdraw from the area.
And on Thursday, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced in a statement the liberation of the city of Sudzha, the main center of Ukrainian resistance in the region. The statement reported 340 Ukrainian casualties in the last 24 hours.
The army released images of Sudzha, where Russian soldiers raised the national flag in the city center yesterday, and then proceeded to eliminate the last pockets of Ukrainian resistance.
Kremlin Advisor Believes Proposed Ceasefire Would Only Give Ukraine a Break
Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov stated in a television interview on Thursday that the proposed ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia would only give Ukrainian forces a temporary break. "I have stated our position that this is nothing more than a temporary respite for Ukrainian military personnel, nothing more. Our goal is a lasting peaceful agreement that takes into account the legitimate interests of our country," said Ushakov.
Russia Rejects Deployment of Foreign Troops in Ukraine
Shortly before negotiations with the U.S. special envoy in Moscow, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Russia would consider the deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine or the construction of foreign military bases in the country unacceptable, as it would involve direct involvement of foreign countries in a conflict with Russia.
Finland and Ukraine Sign Defense Cooperation Agreement
Finland and Ukraine have signed a bilateral defense cooperation agreement, as announced on Thursday by the Finnish Ministry of Defense. The two countries have agreed to deepen their defense cooperation, including armaments, intelligence sharing, and ammunition production.
The statement also mentions providing a new military aid package to Ukraine, worth around 200 million euros, including artillery ammunition.
Russia Claims to Have Retaken Sudzha
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday that it has taken control of Sudzha, the largest city in the Kursk region, which has been under the control of Ukrainian forces since the surprise cross-border offensive in August 2024.
The announcement comes as Russian troops approach their goal of expelling Ukrainian forces from their last stronghold in the Kursk region.