Russia considers proposing an air truce to Trump, while the broader conflict with Ukraine remains unresolved
As the Ukraine-Russia conflict continues, negotiations are underway but have not focused on an air truce to avoid secondary U.S. sanctions. Instead, discussions have revolved around strategic territorial concessions, broader security guarantees, and long-term peace agreements.
Russian President Putin has rejected a full ceasefire, with ongoing military offensives in areas like Kharkiv and Sumy. Russia is pushing to narrow peace talks to the status of the four annexed oblasts but is not committing to a comprehensive ceasefire.
In the midst of these negotiations, President Vladimir Putin has maintained hardline demands in return for a deal to end the war. These include Kyiv's acceptance of neutral status and recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea and of four regions of eastern and southern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Kellogg is expected to visit Kyiv later this week for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff is also visiting Russia this week, offering a late opportunity for agreement with Trump. However, as of mid-August 2025, there are no confirmed or imminent negotiations specifically for an air truce.
The focus remains on strategic territorial concessions, such as Ukraine's potential cession of Donetsk and Luhansk, and abandoning NATO aspirations. Discussions have also included freezing front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Two-thirds of Russians favor ending the war at the current positions, while a quarter want to continue fighting, according to Denis Volkov, director of the independent Levada Center pollster in Moscow. It's unclear whether any offer of restraint would include conditions that would be unacceptable to Ukraine and its allies.
In the past weeks, Russia has stepped up air attacks on Ukraine, including with record numbers of drones. President Zelenskyy has reported that Trump was "fully informed" about Russian strikes on Kyiv and other cities and communities.
Zelenskyy held "productive" phone talks with Trump on Tuesday, discussing sanctions against Russia. The Kremlin is considering a potential air truce with Ukraine as a concession to U.S. President Donald Trump, who is seeking a "gift" or concession from Russia. A pause on airstrikes involving drones and missiles may be one potential proposal for the air truce.
However, as of now, the avoidance of secondary U.S. sanctions through an air truce has not been a reported negotiation point yet. The ongoing negotiations continue to focus on broader security guarantees and territorial issues, rather than a temporary air-specific ceasefire.
- The ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, along with global events such as war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news, revolves around negotiations, strategic territorial concessions, and broader security guarantees.
- Despite the Kremlin considering a potential air truce with Ukraine as a concession to U.S. President Donald Trump, discussions have not yet focused on an air-specific ceasefire, as the avoidance of secondary U.S. sanctions through an air truce has not been reported as a negotiation point yet.
