Russia publicly rejected the United States-brokered ceasefire agreement for the War in Ukraine.

Yuri Ushakov, a high-level aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, dismissed the bid as a move to help Ukraine regroup while it’s on the back foot. Ukraine had agreed to the 30-day ceasefire proposal, developed during talks in Saudi Arabia. Ushakov told news program Russia 1 that he explained Moscow’s position to National Security Advisor Mike Waltz already.

Recommended Stories

• Ukrainian forces flee Kursk after losing key city within pocket
• Vance highlights 'sock diplomacy' at St. Patrick's Day breakfast with Irish PM
• Pakistani officials say the insurgent attack on a train has ended but some hostages are dead

“I, naturally, commented on the agreements reached on a temporary truce, and stated our position that this is nothing more than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, nothing more,” he said, TASS reported.

“We believe that our goal is still a long-term peaceful settlement, we are striving for this, a peaceful settlement that takes into account the legitimate interests of our side, our concerns are known. It seems to me that no one needs such steps that imitate peaceful actions in this situation,” Ushakov added.

The announcement comes amid the quickest territorial change in the war since Ukraine’s Kursk offensive in August. Spearheaded by an operation that sent Russian troops behind Ukrainian lines by utilizing a gas pipeline, Russian forces have begun rapidly pushing Ukrainian forces out of their salient within Russia.

The rejection had been expected. The image-conscious Putin made his first public appearance since the ceasefire announcement in military fatigues, visiting military headquarters in Kursk on Wednesday. It was the first time he was pictured in military garb since the beginning of the War in Ukraine.