Russia said it blames Ukraine for the stalled peace talks between the two countries. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said “The Ukrainian leadership constantly makes contradictory statements. This does not allow us to fully understand what the Ukrainian side wants.”
These statements come after President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Friday said that it is necessary to talk with Putin to end the war. But Russia does not appear to be ready yet for serious peace talks, the Ukrainian president said. Mr Zelensky said in an address to an Indonesian think tank: “There are things to discuss with the Russian leader."
“I’m not telling you that to me our people are eager to talk to him, but we have to face the realities of what we are living through" he said.
Meanwhile, Russia on 24th February launched its invasion of Ukraine. And, according to the latest updates, Kharkiv has been hit by fresh strikes amid fears the city is still on Russia’s agenda. At least nine civilians were killed, including a child, and 19 injured, authorities said. While, the Kremlin has rejected claims that Russia has blocked grain exports from Ukraine, blaming the west for creating such a situation by imposing sanctions on Russia. Also, Two captured Russian soldiers have pleaded guilty to shelling a town in eastern Ukraine, in the second war crimes trial since Russian troops invaded the country. And, there are about 8,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war held in the Russian-backed self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, the Luhansk official Rodion Miroshnik has said.