According to Reuters, referencing various Russian sources, it is claimed that President Vladimir Putin of Russia presented a ceasefire proposal regarding the Ukraine conflict to American authorities, which Washington later declined.
According to Reuters, three Russian sources reported to the news agency that a ceasefire proposal presented by Putin to halt hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, transmitted to US authorities via intermediaries, was rejected.
These Russian informants, speaking with Reuters, asserted that Putin, in 2023, communicated messages to Washington through various intermediaries, including Moscow's Arab allies in the Middle East and others, both publicly and privately, expressing his willingness to engage in discussions regarding a ceasefire in Ukraine.
These Russian sources underscored that Putin's proposal to halt hostilities along current front lines did not indicate any intention on his part to relinquish control of any Ukrainian territories currently under Russian military occupation.
Meanwhile, a US informant, speaking to Reuters, refuted any formal communication between Moscow and Washington, affirming: The United States will not engage in negotiations without Ukraine's presence.
According to Reuters, the Kremlin, the White House, the US State Department, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have all chosen not to comment on this development.
On February 21, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced criticism against the West for neglecting Moscow's security apprehensions and formally acknowledged the independence of the self-declared republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in the Donbas region.
Subsequently, three days later, on Thursday, 24th of February, 2022, Putin launched a military intervention, labeling it a "special operation," targeting Ukraine. This action intensified the strained relations between Moscow and Kiev into a military standoff, and the conflict persists to this day.