Russia-Ukraine peace push: Putin digs in his heels, aide calls Kyiv, EU proposals ‘unconstructive’

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov says Moscow is awaiting the return of presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev from Miami before deciding how to respond to new ideas on a Ukraine settlement that have been passed to the Russians via U.S. contacts. Ushakov told Russian TV that Dmitriev is on a “business trip” and is already “reporting some things” about his talks, but stressed that most of the proposals coming from Ukrainians and Europeans “will not suit us,” calling them “unconstructive” and signalling that Russia intends to stick to what it agreed with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Anchorage summit and in other meetings with American representatives.