U.S. and Russia hold talks following U.S.-Ukraine agreement on 30-day ceasefire

Efforts to ensure a thirty-day truce between Ukraine and Russia continue with U.S. officials now actively seeking interaction with their counterparts at the Kremlin.

Our Park Kun-woo has the latest.

According to the White House press secretary on Wednesday, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz spoke with his Russian counterpart to pursue ending the war and to strike a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

That marked the first discussion between senior security advisors from the U.S. and Russia following an agreement on a 30-day ceasefire proposal made between the U.S. and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia the day before.

Also on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his hopes that Russia would accept the proposal.

"It's up to Russia now. Hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia. And if we do, I think that would be 80% of the way to getting this horrible bloodbath (ended)."

Trump also warned that Russia could face sanctions if it doesn't accept the deal but added he doesn't want that to happen as he wants peace.

He also said officials would be in Russia for further talks, with the White House confirming that Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit Moscow this week.

A Kremlin spokesperson said on Wednesday that Moscow is waiting for "detailed information" from the U.S. before taking a stance on the peace deal.

And following the deal between the U.S. and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in military uniform, visited the Kursk region on Wednesday for the first time since Ukraine invaded the Kursk region in August of last year.

During the visit, Putin ordered the "complete" liberation of the Kursk region.

"Our task in the near future is to completely defeat the enemy who has dug in on the territory of the Kursk region and is still conducting military operations here."

He also spoke about the need to consider creating a buffer zone inside Ukraine's Sumy region, which borders Kursk to prevent any further incursions by Ukraine.

Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.