Putin rejects Witkoff's proposal for a ceasefire on the front line

US Presidential Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Photo: Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin insists that the occupation of four regions of Ukraine should be part of a peace deal.

Bloomberg writes about this, citing sources in Moscow.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff tried to convince Putin to agree to a ceasefire that would stop the fighting on the current front line. But the Russian leader has remained steadfast in his position on the territories.

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European officials also see no signs that Vladimir Putin is ready to change his demands. Sources in Moscow believe that the talks have reached an impasse, and that direct contact between Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump is needed to make progress.

Officially, Russian officials have not commented on the situation, while the United States says it continues to work towards peace.

As a reminder, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitrii Peskov has actually rejected the idea of a 30-day truce proposed by Ukraine.

The Kremlin spokesman also complained that Ukraine had allegedly failed to respond to Russia's initiative to hold a temporary truce until 9 May.

At the same time, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry responded: «Why should we wait until 8 May? If the fire can be stopped now and from any date for 30 days, it means that it is real, and not just for the parade».

It should also be recalled that on 20 April, Russian troops violated the ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of Easter more than two thousand times.

At the time, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented that this demonstrated Vladimir Putin' s true attitude to Easter and human life.