Russia insists any deal with Ukraine must be on Moscow's terms

Reuters news agency reported that Mr. Konstantin Kosachev, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council of Russia, the Russian upper house of parliament, wrote on Telegram: "Russia is on the offensive in Ukraine, so the situation will be different when negotiating with Russia."

He also asserted that any agreement, even with an understanding of the need for compromise, must be on Russia's terms, not America's. This is not hyperbole, but the reality that real agreements are decided on the battlefield. This is something Washington needs to understand.

Earlier, on March 11, negotiations in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, while the Ukrainian side was represented by Chief of Staff of the President Andriy Yermak, ended with a joint statement on Kiev's readiness to implement a 30-day ceasefire, which could be extended.

In return, Washington promised to immediately resume arms supplies and intelligence sharing, which had been suspended after a tense meeting on February 28 between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier said Moscow saw no point in short-term ceasefires without taking into account Russia's conditions, including recognition of control over some regions of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, according to avia-pro.net, US Senator Lindsey Graham said that if Russia refuses the 30-day ceasefire proposed by the US and Ukraine, Washington will increase sanctions pressure on Moscow.

He made the statement in an interview with Fox News on March 11, commenting on the results of negotiations in Jeddah between the US and Ukrainian delegations. According to him, if the Kremlin does not agree to a ceasefire, the US should "punish Russia to the maximum extent" by imposing additional restrictions on the country's banking and energy sectors. Mr. Graham stressed that these measures would be a reasonable response to Moscow's refusal to negotiate.

The European Union (EU) has welcomed the joint statement by Ukraine and the United States. In an official statement, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas stressed the bloc’s strong support for further steps towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine. The EU is committed to playing an active role, working closely with Ukraine, the United States and other international partners to achieve this goal.

Experts say the agreement reached in Saudi Arabia between Kiev and Washington may be a political move on Ukraine’s part. Analysts note that Kiev’s decision to agree to a comprehensive ceasefire, rather than just air and sea restrictions as initially proposed, may be aimed at pleasing the Trump administration.

With his penchant for making headlines and his desire to portray himself as a “peacemaker,” Trump may be the reason Ukraine is willing to make concessions in exchange for the restoration of military aid and access to intelligence from the United States.

Moscow has previously repeatedly rejected the idea of ​​a temporary ceasefire, stressing the need for a long-term solution, which the Ukrainian side could use as an argument to pressure Trump.

The talks between the US and Ukraine took place in the context of the early morning of March 11, when Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack on Russian cities, with 337 UAVs shot down, including 91 in the Moscow region.

It was the largest drone attack since the conflict began, highlighting the difficulty of achieving a ceasefire. Meanwhile, President Trump said he would discuss the situation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was preparing to travel to Moscow.

Experts warn that without Russia's direct involvement in the negotiations, the agreements risk remaining a mere formality, and that resuming US aid could only escalate the conflict further if Moscow persists in its stance.