The Kremlin has ruled out a Christmas ceasefire in the war with Ukraine and is pushing Kyiv to “reach peace” faster, dismissing any pause as a temporary fix Ukraine seeks for a “breather” that Moscow says it will not allow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media the truce idea is a “substitute for reaching an agreement” and would be a temporary, not final, solution. He added the Kremlin has not received a draft document on EU-backed security guarantees for Ukraine, so there is no assessment yet.
Peskov’s comments came around noon on December 16, as preparations continue for President Vladimir Putin’s “Direct Line” call-in show on December 19. Asked about a possible Christmas truce in the Russia-Ukraine war, he said Russia’s terms for Ukraine’s pace agreement are “transparent” and have been conveyed to Kyiv and Washington. He said Moscow will not help realize Ukraine’s desire for a temporary ceasefire and will not allow Ukraine a pause to prepare for the “continuation of the war.” Russia, he added, will stop only after it “achieves its goals and secures its interests.”
Peskov also addressed whether Putin had recently spoken with Donald Trump, saying the last conversation was the one he had publicly mentioned and that the two have not communicated since - likely a reference to an October 16 call.
Earlier on December 16, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian media that U.S. representatives had promised to bar Ukraine from joining NATO and would also “facilitate the transfer of territories.” He said the discussion concerned lands “where Russians have lived for centuries” that should “return to the Russian state.”
On December 15, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, following another round of Ukraine-Russia talks in Berlin, floated the idea of declaring a Christmas truce. He urged Russians to stop terrorizing Ukrainians and to halt strikes on energy infrastructure and civilian targets.
Also on December 16, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk outlined prospective U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine. Politico reported the U.S. proposals come with a deadline, pressuring Kyiv to respond under time constraints.
