Russia will not slow its offensive against Ukraine despite plans to resume US-brokered peace talks, but Moscow is open to localized humanitarian ceasefires, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
Asked whether Russia would consider temporary truces along the front line, Peskov told reporters: “For humanitarian purposes, absolutely.”
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His remarks come ahead of a localized ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region, intended to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
The agreement, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, is scheduled to take effect on Oct. 29, according to the White House. Russian and Ukrainian officials are coordinating the operation.
However, Peskov made clear that the arrangement would not signal a broader halt to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“The decision to resume trilateral talks does not imply any restrictions on combat operations,” he said.
“Our armed forces continue to carry out massive strikes on Ukraine’s military-industrial complex,” he added.
Oleshky сeasefire aims to evacuate civilians
Oleshky, a Russian-occupied city on the left bank of the Dnipro River opposite Kherson, has faced a worsening humanitarian crisis, with residents reporting severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, the city had a population of about 24,000. The White House estimates that between 1,700 and 2,000 people remain, including elderly residents and around 50 children.
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Iotova, who favours dialogue with Moscow and opposes military aid to Ukraine, scored between 35 and 36.5 percent of the vote, according to three polls.
The temporary truce is intended to allow humanitarian supplies into the city and establish a safe passage for civilians who want to leave. Residents will be able to choose whether to evacuate to Ukrainian-controlled territory or Russia, according to the White House.
Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, who led Kyiv’s negotiating team, confirmed the agreement and said the operation would be implemented in stages.
Melania Trump said she worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian representatives to coordinate the arrangement. Her involvement builds on previous efforts to reunite Ukrainian children separated from their families during Russia’s war.
Russia intensifies attacks as talks approach
The latest diplomatic push follows meetings between US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Oct. 21.
The envoys had held consultations with Ukrainian and European officials in Oslo the previous day.
On Sunday, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said Moscow was ready to resume trilateral negotiations with Ukraine and the US after Nov. 4, following Russia’s National Unity Day holiday.
“After that, we will be ready to resume negotiations,” Ushakov said, according to Russian state media.
He cautioned against expecting an immediate breakthrough, describing the next round as an opportunity to explore the parties’ positions rather than reach a final agreement.
Working-level delegations could meet in Abu Dhabi or Switzerland to prepare for further discussions.
Previous rounds of negotiations have failed to bring the sides closer to a settlement. Moscow continues to demand additional Ukrainian territory and sweeping restrictions on Kyiv’s military and political independence.
Ukraine and its allies have rejected those demands as unacceptable, warning that concessions imposed under pressure could leave the country vulnerable to another Russian attack.
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