Russia is preparing to reject the new 19-point ceasefire plan drawn up by the United States and Ukraine, according to sources cited by the New York Post.
However, the same media outlet emphasizes that Moscow will be open to negotiations in order to keep Donald Trump involved, which means the war will continue at least until Christmas.
The White House insists it is working toward a deal, following an initial 28-point proposal by special envoy Steve Witkoff. The initial plan was heavily criticized internationally and was reduced to 19 points after high-level talks between Washington and Kiev on Sunday. The new version was deemed acceptable by Ukraine.
However, sources told the New York Post that Russia has no intention of agreeing to even the shortened version, as it was not satisfied with the initial framework.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov raised the stakes today, reiterating that Moscow would not support any plan that deviates from the original 28-point proposal.
Lavrov linked the new plan to the Trump-Putin contacts at the August summit in Anchorage: "After Anchorage we thought that understandings had already been reached. There was a long pause and now it has been interrupted with the presentation of the new document," he said.
The Kremlin had hailed the initial plan as a genuine path to peace. Lavrov warned, according to the Financial Times, that if the “spirit and letter of Anchorage” were violated, the situation “would change radically.”
However, according to the New York Post, Russia does not want to appear as the party that completely rejects the American initiative.