American and Russian officials are set to meet in Moscow on Thursday to discuss a 30-day cease-fire proposal submitted by the United States and Ukraine. Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, confirmed that American officials were en route to Moscow for the negotiations. He stated that there would be contacts during the meeting, but declined to comment further on the discussions.

Shortly after Peskov’s remarks, Russian news agencies reported that a plane used by Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Middle East envoy, had arrived in Moscow from Qatar. This visit marks Witkoff’s second trip to Russia in a short span of time. Last month, he met with Putin to finalize a prisoner exchange that secured the release of Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher imprisoned in Russia.

Ukraine has expressed support for a temporary cease-fire, provided that Russia also agrees to the terms. Peskov stated that Russia would only provide a response to the proposal after detailed discussions with American officials. Trump has also indicated plans to communicate directly with Putin this week.

In addition to the talks with American officials, Putin is scheduled to meet with Belarusian President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko on Thursday. The two allies are expected to hold a news conference, an event where Putin may address the 30-day cease-fire offer, according to Tass, Russia’s state news agency.

Despite the increased diplomatic efforts, Moscow has continued its military campaign, seeking to drive Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region of Russia. This region has seen intense conflict following Kyiv’s incursion last August, where Ukrainian troops occupied several hundred square miles of territory.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/world/europe/moscow-us-ukraine-russia-talks.html