By Dmitry Antonov
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it needed to be briefed by the United States on the outcome of U.S.-Ukrainian talks in Saudi Arabia before commenting on whether a proposed ceasefire in Ukraine was acceptable to Russia.
Ukraine said on Tuesday it was ready to support a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Americans would now take the offer to Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow expected to be briefed in the coming days by Rubio and White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz on Tuesday’s talks with Ukraine in Jeddah.
Peskov also said he did not rule out the possibility of a phone call between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, which he said could be organised very quickly if needed.
Asked on his daily briefing call with reporters whether the 30-day ceasefire proposal was advantageous to Russia or not, and whether Moscow would link a possible ceasefire to other demands, such as the lifting of Western sanctions on Moscow, Peskov said:
“You are getting a little ahead of yourself. Yesterday, when talking to the press, both Rubio and Waltz said that they would pass on detailed information to us through various channels about the essence of the conversation that took place in Jeddah. First, we must receive this information.”
He said contacts with the Americans were planned in the coming days, “during which we expect to receive complete information.”
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
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