Description: The Jeddah talks in Saudi Arabia between US and Ukrainian foreign officials resulted in a proposal that might prove to be challenging for the Kremlin. The 30 – day ceasefire and reiteration towards a peace agreement arrives at a time when Russian forces have the proverbial upper hand in fulfilling their ultimate interests. Signals from Moscow officials weren’t promising as Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin’s spokesperson, and Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that a short – term ceasefire would require guarantees that nor the US neither Ukraine aren’t prepared to offer for the time being. Russia would insist on direct contact with US diplomats as it imposes the Putin’s ultimatums for ending the war as Steve Witkoff has been announced to meet with the Russian President by the end of the week.
Impact: Russia’s current position both on the frontlines and global geopolitical stage is bolstered by the US pivot towards closing the gap with its centurial adversary. Agreeing to a short-lived ceasefire could be perceived as a strategic defeat and succumbing to US demands between the Russian ranks but could also put Putin in an exploitative position to leverage his long – term demands. The main issues for both Russia and Ukraine still remain in the form of ceasefire guarantees in a region that has known nothing but excruciating warfare for the past three years. Russia’s refusal to engage in the ceasefire would put the country back on the adversarial path with the US as opposed to putting the war on a temporary halt which could be exploited by both Ukraine and Russia.