Kremlin: Envoy's Visit to the US Does Not Equal Resumption of Talks, Easter Ceasefire is a Humanitarian Consideration

On April 10, Xinhua News Agency reported from Moscow that Russian presidential press secretary Peskov confirmed on the 10th that Russian President's special representative Dmitriev is visiting the United States, but this does not mean that the two sides are resuming negotiations on the Ukraine issue. The Russian proposal for a ceasefire during Orthodox Easter is based on humanitarian considerations.

Peskov stated that Dmitriev has not negotiated with the U.S. side regarding the Ukraine issue, and this visit does not imply a resumption of the negotiation process.

Dmitriev is the president of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the presidential special representative responsible for foreign investment and economic cooperation, overseeing the Russia-U.S. economic working group. According to reports from the Russia Today news agency, he is continuing discussions with the U.S. side on the topic of restoring economic cooperation between Russia and the U.S.

Regarding President Putin's announcement of a ceasefire for Orthodox Easter on the 9th, Peskov pointed out that the Russian proposal is based on humanitarian considerations, as Orthodox Easter is a common holiday for the people of Russia and Ukraine.

Peskov emphasized that this ceasefire is unrelated to the resumption of negotiations on the Ukraine issue, and the Russian side did not discuss this ceasefire in advance with the U.S. or Ukrainian sides. "What we want is not a ceasefire, but a lasting and stable peace."

The Kremlin announced on the 9th that Putin decided, in light of the upcoming Orthodox Easter on April 12, to declare a ceasefire from 16:00 Moscow time on the 11th to 24:00 on the 12th. Ukrainian President Zelensky subsequently stated that Ukraine would reciprocate with a ceasefire.

In December 2025, Putin and U.S. President Trump had a phone call, during which both sides agreed to establish dedicated security and economic working groups to promote a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis within their respective frameworks. Peskov stated in March this year that the working group on security issues composed of representatives from Russia, the U.S., and Ukraine has suspended its work, but the bilateral economic working group between Russia and the U.S. is still ongoing.