Kremlin says Putin envoy’s US trip does not signal restart of Ukraine peace talks

MOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Friday that a visit to the United States by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special investment envoy should not be seen as a sign that negotiations on a possible peace settlement in Ukraine have resumed.

Kirill Dmitriev was in the United States and held meetings with members of US President Donald Trump’s administration to discuss a peace deal as well as US-Russia economic cooperation, according to Reuters, which cited sources familiar with the visit.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the suggestion that Dmitriev’s trip meant talks on Ukraine were back under way.

Kirill Dmitriev is not negotiating a settlement in Ukraine, and this is not a resumption of the negotiations, Peskov told reporters when asked about the matter.

“Dmitriev heads the group on economic issues, and he continues to work within this group”, he added.

Ceasefire announced for Orthodox Easter

The Kremlin’s comments came after Putin announced a 32-hour ceasefire over a two-day period for Orthodox Easter on Sunday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would observe the measure.

Peskov, who has said that peace talks are paused because of events in the Middle East, described the ceasefire as humanitarian in nature. He also said Russia was seeking what it described as a proper peace agreement rather than only a temporary halt in fighting.

“As we have repeatedly said, and as President Putin has said, we do not want a ceasefire, we want peace, a lasting, sustainable peace”, he said.

“And this peace can come today if President Zelenskiy makes the appropriate decision, takes responsibility and makes the appropriate decision,” he added.

The Kremlin’s position, as outlined by Peskov, was that Dmitriev’s role remains focused on economic matters and that his US visit should not be interpreted as the formal reopening of negotiations over the war in Ukraine.

The remarks also came against the backdrop of the Easter truce announced by Putin, which both sides publicly addressed, with Moscow presenting it as a humanitarian step while continuing to say it wants a broader and lasting settlement.