US delegation in Moscow for Ukraine talks as Russia seizes key town

A high-level US delegation has arrived in Moscow to negotiate a potential ceasefire in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, even as Russian forces claim to have recaptured a strategically important town.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff landed in the Russian capital on Thursday morning, aiming to persuade the Kremlin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire. Ukraine had already accepted the proposal earlier this week during talks with the US.

However, Russian officials dismissed the initiative. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated that while discussions were proceeding “in a calm manner,” Moscow saw little merit in the proposal. “A ceasefire would serve only as a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, allowing them to regroup,” he argued.

The US visit comes amid significant battlefield developments. On the same day the negotiations began, Russia announced it had retaken the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region. The town, captured by Ukrainian forces in a surprise offensive last year, had been a key point of contention along the northern front.

Moscow’s rejection of the ceasefire proposal underscores the challenges in securing a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. While Ukraine has signaled willingness to pause hostilities, Russia appears determined to maintain military pressure.

As fighting continues, the question remains whether the US delegation can find any common ground with the Kremlin—or if the war will grind on with no end in sight.