**Russia Rejects US Ceasefire Proposal**
Russia says it takes the US proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine seriously, but cannot accept it as is. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov made this statement in an interview with International Affairs Journal.
According to Ryabkov, the US has not shown a clear signal to Ukraine’s government to end the war. Instead, Washington is trying to find a way to achieve a ceasefire first.
**US Seeks Ceasefire**
The Trump administration wants to broker a ceasefire as the first step towards a broader peace deal in Ukraine. Earlier this month, Kyiv agreed to a full 30-day truce during talks with the US. However, Moscow rejected this proposal unless it included conditions that would undermine Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.
**Partial Ceasefire**
Recently, technical talks were held between the US, Ukraine, and Russia in Riyadh. The three parties agreed on a partial ceasefire on strikes against energy facilities and in the Black Sea. But both Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of violating this agreement.
**Root Causes Unaddressed**
Ryabkov claims that Washington’s proposals failed to address the root causes of the conflict. Moscow has its own set of demands for a peace deal, including a ban on Ukraine joining NATO and the withdrawal from four partially occupied regions.
**Stalemate Continues**
The US is growing frustrated with Russian delays on a ceasefire deal. Trump acknowledged that Russia may be dragging their feet in peace talks. Meanwhile, Kyiv and other observers believe that Moscow intentionally prolongs the process to capture more territory.