Kremlin says Putin envoy's US visit does not mean Ukraine talks have resumed

The Kremlin said on Friday that a visit to the United States by Russian President ​Vladimir Putin's special investment envoy did not mean ‌that negotiations on a possible peace deal in Ukraine had resumed. Reuters reported on Thursday, citing sources with knowledge of the visit, that Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy, was in ​the US and meeting members of US President Donald Trump's ​administration for discussions on a peace deal and ⁠US-Russia economic cooperation. "Kirill Dmitriev is not negotiating a settlement ​in Ukraine, and this is not a resumption of the ​negotiations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday when asked about the matter. "Kirill Dmitriev heads the group on economic issues, and he ​continues to work within this group." Read More: Putin orders weekend ceasefire in Ukraine Putin on Thursday announced a ​32-hour ceasefire over a two-day period for Orthodox Easter on Sunday. His ‌Ukrainian ⁠counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, said Kyiv would abide by the measure. Peskov, who has said that peace talks are paused due to events in the Middle East, said the ceasefire ​was humanitarian in ​nature and ⁠that Russia wanted a proper peace deal rather than simply a ceasefire. "As we have ​repeatedly said, and as President Putin has said, ​we ⁠do not want a ceasefire, we want peace, a lasting, sustainable peace," Peskov said. "And this peace can come today if ⁠President ​Zelenskiy makes the appropriate decision, takes ​responsibility and makes the appropriate decision," Peskov said.