Russian President Vladimir Putin's suggestion of a ceasefire in Ukraine to freeze the war was rejected by the United States
Putin's strategy has failed, marking the start of the third year of Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II and underscoring the vast divide between the world's top two nuclear powers.
A U.S. source refuted claims of any official contact and affirmed that Washington would not participate in discussions that excluded Ukraine.
In 2023, Putin signaled to Washington, both publicly and through intermediaries, including Moscow's Middle Eastern partners, that he was open to considering a ceasefire in Ukraine, Russian sources disclosed.
Putin's proposal involved maintaining the conflict's current borders and refusing to relinquish any Ukrainian territory under Russian control, presenting what some in the Kremlin viewed as the most viable path toward a form of peace.
"The communication with the Americans yielded no results," a high-ranking Russian source familiar with the late 2023 and early 2024 discussions revealed to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
A second Russian source, also informed about the discussions, informed Reuters that the Americans, through intermediaries, had informed Moscow that they would not entertain discussions regarding a potential ceasefire without Ukraine's involvement, leading to the collapse of the talks.
A third source, knowledgeable about the discussions, commented, "Everything fell apart with the Americans," noting that the Americans were reluctant to pressure Ukraine.
The nature and failure of these discussions have not been previously disclosed.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden has been urging Congress for months to approve additional aid for Ukraine, encountering resistance from supporters of Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump.
The Kremlin, White House, U.S. State Department, and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) all declined to comment on the matter.
U.S. DENIES 'BACK CHANNEL'
In February 2022, Putin dispatched thousands of troops into Ukraine, sparking a full-scale war following eight years of conflict in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian Ukrainians and Russian proxies.
Ukraine views the conflict as a fight for its survival, while the West characterizes Putin's incursion as an imperialistic land grab challenging the post-Cold War international order.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has vowed to never concede Russia's control over Ukrainian territory, banning all contact with Russia.
A U.S. official, speaking anonymously in Washington, clarified that the U.S. had not engaged in any back-channel discussions with Russia and had consistently refrained from bypassing Ukraine.
The official noted that there seemed to be unofficial "Track II" talks among Russians outside the government, but the United States was not involved in them.
Regarding Putin's proposal, the official suggested that Moscow appeared frustrated by Washington's repeated refusals to accept its demands, which remained unchanged from past requests for Russia to retain control over Ukrainian territory.
Putin recently stated to U.S. talk-show host Tucker Carlson that Russia was open to "dialogue."