A brief ceasefire would be "nothing more than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military," a senior Kremlin aide said on Thursday.

Russian forces have recaptured Sudzha, the largest town that Ukraine once occupied in the Kursk region, according to Moscow, threatening Kyiv’s sole territorial bargaining chip amid pressure to negotiate an end to the war.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia was ready to talk to the United States about a peace initiative discussed between the U.S. and Ukraine, and contacts could take place on Thursday.