Russia Rejects Ceasefire Proposal Ahead of Trump-Zelensky Meeting, Warns of Conflict Prolongation

In a statement made ahead of a highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Kremlin expressed skepticism over a temporary ceasefire proposal. According to Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump shared concerns that such a ceasefire would only prolong the conflict. The phone call between Putin and Trump, which lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes, was described as 'friendly' by Ushakov. The Russian diplomat emphasized that a temporary ceasefire would be counterproductive, as it could lead to renewed hostilities. He also urged Ukraine to withdraw its troops from the Donbas region without delay to bring an end to the conflict. In a separate statement, Trump described his phone call with Putin as 'good and very productive.' The meeting between Trump and Zelensky is scheduled to take place at Mar-a-Lago, and the press is invited to attend. The Kremlin's stance on the ceasefire proposal highlights the complexities of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the challenges that lie ahead in finding a peaceful resolution.