LONDON — Russian President Vladimir Putin “stole” one other week of conflict in Ukraine along with his imprecise 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 searching for to keep away from blame for prolonging Moscow’s 3-year-old conflict 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 stated he was “for” the would-be freeze in combating, although set out extra circumstances for its implementation and urged 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 conflict that solely Russia needs,” the Ukrainian president wrote on social media on Sunday.
A Ukrainian tank drives on a highway in a village within the Dnipropetrovsk area, on March 16, 2025.
Roman Pilipey/AFP through Getty Pictures
“We are going to do every thing to additional intensify diplomacy,” he added. “We are going to do every thing to make diplomacy efficient.”
Andriy Yermak, the pinnacle 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 conflict.”
Zelenskyy and his high officers are striving to current Ukraine as prepared for peace, seemingly hoping to neutralize repeated — and at occasions deceptive — criticism from President Donald Trump’s administration that Kyiv, somewhat than Moscow, is the primary impediment to a deal.
Trump stated Sunday he expects to talk with Putin by cellphone 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
“Quite a lot of work” on a possible deal was carried out over the weekend, Trump stated. “We’ll see if we’ve one thing to announce. Possibly by Tuesday.” He stated that his administration needs “to see if we are able to convey that conflict to an finish.”
“Possibly we are able to. Possibly we won’t, however I believe we’ve an excellent probability,” the president stated, talking onboard Air Power One as he returned to Washington, D.C., on Sunday night time.
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 will be no peace talks whereas the world stays partially occupied.
Latest weeks have seen Ukrainian positions there collapse underneath intense Russian assaults, with Putin visiting the area final week and saying that Kyiv’s troops there might select to “give up or die.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Safety Council assembly on the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outdoors Moscow, Russia, Mar. 14, 2025.
Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik through AP
Each side have additionally continued their long-range cross-border strikes. On Monday, Ukraine’s air drive 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 had been impacted by the assault, the air drive 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 an enormous drone assault on services situated within the area, together with the gas and vitality advanced.”
Babushkin stated falling drone particles sparked a hearth at one facility, although didn’t specify the place. “The scenario is underneath management,” the governor wrote on Telegram. “One particular person was injured throughout the assault. The sufferer has now been taken to the hospital.”
Andriy Kovalenko, the pinnacle of the Counter-Disinformation Middle working as a part of Ukraine’s Nationwide Safety and Protection Council, stated on Telegram that “unknown drones struck a gas and vitality advanced” in Astrakhan. “The depth of the work of unknown drones is rising,” he added.
ABC Information’ Nicholas Kerr and Kevin Shalvey contributed to this report.
