Vladimir Putin has ruled out a temporary break in hostilities, saying it would only benefit Ukraine and its Western allies by letting them replenish their arsenals. He insists Moscow wants a comprehensive agreement which would ensure a lasting settlement.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested yesterday that a breakthrough in negotiations isn't imminent. He said: "The issues that we are discussing in connection with the Ukrainian settlement are quite complex and they require a lot of additional efforts."
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said: "We consider the models and solutions proposed by the Americans quite seriously, but we can’t just accept all of them as they are."
An assessment by the Institute for the Washington-based Study of War think tank says Moscow is holding out on a deal to ease shipping in the Black Sea in order to "stall efforts toward a general ceasefire and extract additional concessions from the West".
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has signalled he could consider new oil sanctions on Russia.
