**Moscow Rejects US Peace Proposals**
Russia will not accept the United States’ proposals to end the war in Ukraine, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. He said that the proposals do not address Russia’s main concerns.
Ryabkov made his statement in an interview on April 1 with a Russian magazine called “International Affairs.” He claimed that Russia has not seen any signal from the US for Ukraine to end the war.
Russia has been making maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the US. Ryabkov said that the US proposals are being taken seriously, but they cannot be accepted as they are now.
**Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s Comments**
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently made comments on Ukraine that were not well received by the US. On March 27, he questioned the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and suggested introducing a temporary government in Ukraine to hold new elections.
Putin said that if Zelensky is illegitimate, then all other leaders are also illegitimate. The comments were met with criticism from the US State Department.
**Ukraine’s Response**
The Ukrainian government has agreed to a US-proposed full 30-day ceasefire. However, Moscow has refused this offer. Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, said on April 1 that his country is willing to meet with Russia for peace talks, but it will not accept any proposals that do not address the root causes of the conflict.
**Other Developments**
In other news, Russian forces continue to launch attacks in Ukraine. The city of Kherson was hit by a Russian morning attack on one of its power facilities, leaving 45,000 residents without electricity.
The Ukrainian government has also received $1 billion from the US and its allies through the Ukraine Facility. This funding will support Ukraine’s macroeconomic stability.
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