The Kremlin declared Tuesday that Russia’s military operation in Ukraine could end “at any moment” if Kiev agrees to conditions Moscow says are already fully understood by the Ukrainian leadership, signaling that the door to negotiations remains open even as fighting resumes across the front lines.
Speaking in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the continuation of the conflict now depends entirely on decisions made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government.
“It can stop at any moment, as soon as Kiev takes responsibility and makes the necessary decision,” Peskov told reporters during a briefing at the Kremlin. He added that “Kiev is well aware of the decisions that need to be made.”
The statement came hours after Moscow confirmed that the temporary ceasefire brokered by Donald Trump had officially expired. Russian military operations have now resumed following the end of the May 9-11 ceasefire period proposed by the US president.
The ceasefire, though limited in duration, represented one of the few coordinated pauses in hostilities in recent months. Russia had initially announced a truce beginning May 8 to coincide with Russia’s scaled-back Victory Day parade marking the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov later confirmed that Moscow accepted a broader US-backed proposal extending the ceasefire through May 11 while also facilitating a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine.
Despite the pause, both Moscow and Kiev accused each other of accusations of ceasefire violations through artillery shelling, drone attacks, and continued fighting along sections of the front line. Ukrainian authorities claimed Russian drone strikes resumed immediately after the ceasefire expired, while Russia’s Defense Ministry accused Ukraine of launching attacks on Russian positions during the temporary halt in combat.
Peskov’s comments also appeared designed to reinforce the Kremlin’s narrative that Russia is prepared for a negotiated settlement but believes Ukraine and its Western backers are prolonging the conflict.
“The humanitarian ceasefire has ended, and the special military operation continues,” Peskov said, using Moscow’s official terminology for the war.
The Kremlin has repeatedly insisted that any peace agreement must acknowledge what Moscow describes as “territorial realities on the ground,” including Russian control over large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine. Russia has also demanded that Ukrainian forces withdraw from territories in the Donbas region still controlled by Kiev, a condition Ukrainian officials have firmly rejected. Those growing debates over possible territorial concessions have intensified pressure on European governments and NATO allies.
The latest Kremlin remarks follow comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin suggesting over the weekend that the conflict may be “coming to an end,” though Moscow later clarified that no concrete settlement framework currently exists.
According to Peskov, months of trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine and the United States have created a foundation that could eventually lead to a broader peace agreement.
“The accumulated groundwork in terms of the peace process allows us to say that the completion is indeed approaching,” Peskov said, while cautioning that “it is not possible at the moment to speak about any specifics.”
The remarks highlight the increasingly complicated geopolitical environment surrounding the war, now entering its fifth year. Multiple rounds of negotiations hosted by Washington and other intermediaries have failed to produce a durable ceasefire or political settlement.
At the same time, both Moscow and Kiev continue preparing for potential escalations on the battlefield. Ukrainian officials warned this week that Russia may be planning new offensive operations, while Russian military analysts argue that Ukraine’s defensive positions are becoming increasingly strained due to manpower shortages and sustained pressure across several fronts.
Zelenskyy pushed back sharply against suggestions that the war is nearing an end, saying Monday that Russia “has no intention of ending this war.” Ukrainian officials maintain that any settlement must include a full Russian military withdrawal from occupied territories.
The Kremlin, however, insists that Western military support for Ukraine remains one of the primary obstacles to a negotiated resolution. Russian officials have repeatedly accused NATO countries and the US of extending the conflict through weapons deliveries, intelligence sharing, and financial assistance to Kiev.
That broader geopolitical struggle has increasingly evolved into a larger confrontation between Russia and the Western alliance system, fueling what many analysts describe as a BRICS-led diplomatic realignment reshaping the global balance of power. Moscow has also accelerated its Russia-China strategic partnership amid deepening tensions with the West.
Meanwhile, Moscow continues signaling that direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy remain theoretically possible, though only after significant preparatory work has been completed. European officials are also quietly discussing future negotiations with Moscow as battlefield fatigue grows across the continent.
Peskov reiterated Tuesday that a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders would make sense only if it were aimed at finalizing a settlement agreement rather than restarting negotiations from scratch.
“It only makes sense if the process is fully finalized,” he said. “And to finalize it, a lot of homework still needs to be done.”
While diplomatic rhetoric has intensified in recent weeks, the battlefield escalation after the truce underscores how fragile any peace effort remains. The war has already become Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II, leaving hundreds of thousands dead or wounded and triggering one of the largest geopolitical crises of the modern era.
For now, both Russia and Ukraine appear to be balancing military operations with cautious diplomatic signaling, even as neither side shows willingness to abandon its core demands.
