ReutersVolodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of “making an attempt to purchase time” to proceed its struggle in Ukraine, a day after Donald Trump mentioned progress in the direction of a ceasefire had been made in a name with Vladimir Putin.
“If Russia continues to place ahead unrealistic circumstances and undermine progress, there should be robust penalties,” Ukraine’s president wrote on social media, including that Kyiv was prepared to barter.
Following separate calls with Zelensky and Putin on Monday, Trump mentioned truce talks between Russia and Ukraine would begin “instantly”.
Putin mentioned he was able to work on a “memorandum on a doable future peace settlement”, however didn’t tackle requires a 30-day pause in combating.
On Tuesday, the Kremlin downplayed solutions that negotiations have been shut, with Russian state information businesses citing spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying “there aren’t any deadlines and there can’t be any”.
In the meantime, Zelensky launched a contemporary spherical of diplomacy, chatting with Western allies in a bid to shore up help.
Following a cellphone name with the Finnish president, Zelensky wrote on social media that Ukraine was working with companions to make sure stress on Moscow “forces the Russians to alter their behaviour”.
It got here because the European Union and UK introduced that that they had adopted new rounds of sanctions in opposition to Russia.
The EU mentioned it was blacklisting practically 200 extra oil tankers in Russia’s “shadow fleet”, and warned of a “more durable response” if Moscow didn’t comply with a truce in Ukraine.
The UK positioned sanctions 18 extra tankers, as a part of its package deal concentrating on Russian army suppliers, power exports and monetary establishments.
It adopted a document drone assault in Ukraine over the weekend, which Kyiv officers described as the biggest because the begin of the full-scale invasion.
On Monday, Trump indicated he wouldn’t take part any new sanctions on Russia, telling reporters that they may hinder current progress.
It got here as heavy combating continued alongside the entrance line, with Ukraine reporting 177 clashes and claiming over 1,000 Russian casualties in 24 hours.
Talking forward of a gathering of EU ministers on Tuesday, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius mentioned Russia’s continued assaults “converse louder than the lip service we now have heard for thus lengthy”.
“Putin is clearly taking part in for time. Sadly, we now have to say he isn’t actually thinking about peace,” he mentioned.
Putin has up to now rebuffed a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and final week rejected Zelensky’s invitation to fulfill for talks in Istanbul. Trump had supplied to attend the talks if Putin could be there, however the Russian chief declined.
The Kremlin has beforehand introduced non permanent ceasefires, together with from 8-11 Mayto coincide with Russia’s Second World Battle victory celebrations. Kyiv refused to hitch, citing distrust and demanding an instantaneous, sustained cessation of hostilities.
The same 30-hour truce over Easter noticed a quick lull in combating, although each side accused one another of tons of of violations.
Russia and Ukraine have been at struggle since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
