The Kremlin expects a quick resumption of American mediation to end the war in Ukraine after the current three-day ceasefire, Yuri Ushakov, an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin in charge of the negotiations, told state television today, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
Ushakov said that US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner would arrive in Moscow "quite soon," without specifying a specific date.
"Sooner or later, I think quite soon, our permanent colleagues Steve Witkoff and Kushner will arrive in Moscow," the diplomat noted. "We will continue the dialogue with them," Ushakov said, TASS reported.
Ushakov said the ceasefire, which is in effect until Monday, was agreed upon in phone calls with the United States, which he described as "not easy."
"The agreement was reached in the course of difficult negotiations. For two days, we held telephone talks with our American colleagues, while the Americans were in touch with Kiev," the diplomat was quoted as saying by TASS. "All this was not easy."
Witkoff and Kushner have mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine before, but without achieving a breakthrough. Ushakov noted that they have also participated in negotiations on the conflict in the Middle East.
He reiterated that Russia is ready to end the war if Ukraine withdraws from the Donbas region in the eastern part of the country. "In Ukraine, they know that they have to do it, and sooner or later they will do it anyway," Ushakov said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly rejected this demand. So far, Russian forces have failed to capture the strategically important cities of Kramatorsk and Slavyansk in Donetsk region, which Ukraine considers key to protecting the approaches to Kiev.
Both sides have reported widespread violations of the ceasefire announced by Trump on Friday, although observers have noted an overall reduction in attacks, particularly in strikes on energy facilities behind the front line.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Monday more than 16,000 ceasefire violations so far, including single shots. It said 57 Ukrainian drones had been shot down.
Ukraine's General Staff reported 150 Russian attacks, while the air force said 27 Russian drones had been shot down.
Five people, including two children, were injured in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv after a drone hit an apartment building, local authorities said.