LONDON — Russian President Vladimir Putin “stole” one other week of struggle in Ukraine together with his obscure response to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Washington and Kyiv final week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Sunday.
Each Ukraine and Russia are looking for to keep away from blame for prolonging Moscow’s 3-year-old struggle and undermining nascent U.S.-led ceasefire and peace talks. American negotiators have now met with representatives from each Kyiv and Moscow of their bid to formulate a deal.
Following the U.S.-Ukraine assembly in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, final week, the 2 sides proposed a full 30-day ceasefire as a springboard for a wider peace settlement. Putin said he was “for” the would-be freeze in preventing, although set out extra situations for its implementation and advised a pause would profit Ukraine.
Zelenskyy has since launched a number of statements framing Putin as deliberately hindering ceasefire talks.
“After the talks in Jeddah and the American proposal for a ceasefire on the frontline, Russia stole virtually one other week — per week of struggle that solely Russia desires,” the Ukrainian president wrote on social media on Sunday.
A Ukrainian tank drives on a street in a village within the Dnipropetrovsk area, on March 16, 2025.
Roman Pilipey/AFP through Getty Photos
“We’ll do every thing to additional intensify diplomacy,” he added. “We’ll do every thing to make diplomacy efficient.”
Andriy Yermak, the top of Zelenskyy’s presidential workplace, wrote on Telegram, “Russia continues to assault, Ukraine is responding to the assaults and can reply till Putin stops the struggle.”
Zelenskyy and his prime officers are striving to current Ukraine as prepared for peace, seemingly hoping to neutralize repeated — and at times misleading — criticism from President Donald Trump’s administration that Kyiv, reasonably than Moscow, is the principle impediment to a deal.
Trump said Sunday he expects to talk with Putin by telephone on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters earlier than boarding Air Power One as he departs from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Mar. 14, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
“Numerous work” on a possible deal was executed over the weekend, Trump stated. “We’ll see if we’ve one thing to announce. Perhaps by Tuesday.” He stated that his administration desires “to see if we will carry that struggle to an finish.”
“Perhaps we will. Perhaps we will not, however I believe we’ve an excellent likelihood,” the president stated, talking onboard Air Power One as he returned to Washington, D.C., on Sunday evening.
Combating continues at key factors alongside the entrance because the events maneuver for benefit in additional ceasefire talks.
Specific consideration has been paid to the western Russian area of Kursk, the place Ukrainian forces seized territory in a shock August 2024 offensive. Russian officers have stated there might be no peace talks whereas the world stays partially occupied.
Latest weeks have seen Ukrainian positions there collapse beneath intense Russian assaults, with Putin visiting the region final week and saying that Kyiv’s troops there may select to “give up or die.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Safety Council assembly on the Novo-Ogaryovo residence exterior Moscow, Russia, Mar. 14, 2025.
Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik through AP
Either side have additionally continued their long-range cross-border strikes. On Monday, Ukraine’s air pressure stated it shot down 90 of 174 Russian drones launched into the nation in a single day, with one other 70 drones misplaced in flight with out inflicting injury. Seven areas have been impacted by the assault, the air pressure stated.
Russia’s Protection Ministry, in the meantime, stated Monday its forces shot down 72 Ukrainian drones since Sunday night.
Some drones attacked the Astrakhan area of southern Russia, round 500 miles from the closest Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Igor Babushkin, the regional governor, stated Ukraine “tried a large drone assault on amenities positioned within the area, together with the gas and vitality complicated.”
Babushkin stated falling drone particles sparked a fireplace at one facility, although didn’t specify the place. “The state of affairs is beneath management,” the governor wrote on Telegram. “One individual was injured in the course of the assault. The sufferer has now been taken to the hospital.”
Andriy Kovalenko, the top of the Counter-Disinformation Heart working as a part of Ukraine’s Nationwide Safety and Protection Council, stated on Telegram that “unknown drones struck a gas and vitality complicated” in Astrakhan. “The depth of the work of unknown drones is growing,” he added.
ABC Information’ Nicholas Kerr and Kevin Shalvey contributed to this report.
