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<p data-start="76" data-end="319"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Russia has said that any proposed Christmas ceasefire in the Ukraine war would depend on progress toward a broader and lasting peace agreement, even as US-led diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict appear to be gathering pace.</span></p>
<p data-start="321" data-end="630"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Kremlin on Tuesday linked the possibility of a temporary truce to the success of wider negotiations with Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had earlier said that Ukraine supports the idea of a Christmas ceasefire, particularly to stop attacks on energy infrastructure during the holiday period.</span></p>
<p data-start="632" data-end="931"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Responding to the proposal, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would not support a short-term halt in fighting unless it was part of a comprehensive settlement. He suggested that Russia was unwilling to accept what it views as temporary measures that could allow Ukraine time to regroup.</span></p>
<p data-start="933" data-end="1182"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&ldquo;We want peace. We don&rsquo;t want a truce that gives Ukraine breathing space and prepares the ground for continuing the war,&rdquo; Peskov said, adding that Russia&rsquo;s objective was to end the conflict, secure its interests and ensure long-term peace in Europe.</span></p>
<p data-start="1184" data-end="1415"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Peskov also said Moscow had not yet received detailed information about proposed security guarantees for Ukraine that resemble NATO-style arrangements, which US and European officials have indicated are part of ongoing discussions.</span></p>
<p data-start="1417" data-end="1653"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Meanwhile, Zelenskiy said proposals negotiated with US officials could be finalised within days. He said American envoys would then present them to the Russian side, ahead of potential further meetings in the United States next weekend.</span></p>
<p data-start="1655" data-end="1906"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Speaking after talks in Berlin, Zelenskiy described the draft peace plan discussed with US officials as &ldquo;very workable,&rdquo; while acknowledging that major disagreements remain, particularly over Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russian forces.</span></p>
<p data-start="1908" data-end="2200"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Diplomatic momentum has appeared to increase in recent days, with US officials indicating that Ukraine and its European allies broadly agree on most elements of the US-authored plan. President Donald Trump said the sides were closer to a settlement than at any previous point in the conflict.</span></p>
<p data-start="2202" data-end="2539"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite the progress, core disputes persist. Zelenskiy reiterated that Ukraine would not recognise Russian control over any part of the Donbas region, which includes Luhansk and Donetsk. He said proposals under discussion include the idea of a free economic zone in the region, but stressed that this would not imply Russian sovereignty.</span></p>
<p data-start="2541" data-end="2695"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&ldquo;The Americans are trying to find a compromise,&rdquo; Zelenskiy said, adding that any economic arrangement would not place the territory under Russian control.</span></p>
<p data-start="2697" data-end="2944"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Territorial recognition remains one of the most contentious issues. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded international recognition of Russian control over Crimea, annexed in 2014, and parts of four Ukrainian regions seized during the war.</span></p>
<p data-start="2946" data-end="3234"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Zelenskiy warned that if diplomatic efforts fail, Ukraine would expect stronger pressure on Moscow from Western partners, including tougher sanctions and increased military assistance. He said Kyiv would seek additional air defence systems and long-range weapons if negotiations collapse.</span></p>
<p data-start="3236" data-end="3511"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ukraine and the United States are currently preparing up to five documents outlining a possible peace framework, several of them focused on long-term security arrangements. Zelenskiy said the Berlin talks demonstrated strong unity among Ukraine, the US and European partners.</span></p>
<p data-start="3513" data-end="3616" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&ldquo;Overall, there was a demonstration of unity,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That, in itself, was a truly positive signal.&rdquo;</span></p>
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Kremlin links Christmas ceasefire to broader Ukraine peace agreement talks

Christmas Truce Hinges on Peace Deal: Kremlin

Kremlin links Christmas ceasefire to broader Ukraine peace agreement talks

December 16, 2025 | 18:44 IST