The Kremlin said on Thursday, March 13, that US negotiators were on their way to Russia, as Washington seeks to present its plan for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. Kyiv agreed to the US proposal after talks in Saudi Arabia earlier this week, but Moscow has asked for the US side to present details before indicating whether it is acceptable.

"Negotiators are flying in and, indeed, contacts are scheduled," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He did not say who was part of the US team. For its part, the White House said earlier that US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, a mediator in the Gaza and Ukraine conflict, would be in Moscow this week.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov spoke to US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz by phone the day before, Peskov added.

Russia wants sanctions to be lifted as part of any deal as it grapples with distortions in its economy. Peskov said Moscow considered the sanctions "illegal," but would not go into detail about possible talks on the matter ahead of the negotiations. "Let us not get ahead of ourselves," he said.