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EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Tuesday called for the United States to take “strong action” against Russia if Moscow does not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.
“America said that if Russia doesn’t agree on an unconditional ceasefire, then there are going to be consequences. So we want to see those consequences, also from the US side,” Kallas said at a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said following a separate call between Trump and European leaders Monday that the EU would “increase pressure” on Moscow through more sanctions.
Putin 'not interested in peace', says Germany's defence minister
German defence minister Boris Pistorius has accused President Vladimir Putin of not really being interested in peace in Ukraine, saying the Russian leader was only “playing for time” in talks with the United States.
Europe needs to increase the pressure on Russia by imposing more sanctions, especially on Russia’s energy sales, Pistorius added.
“We have seen massive (Russian) attacks again in recent days ... These speak louder than the lip service (to the peace process) we have heard for so long,” Pistorius said before a meeting of EU defence and foreign affairs ministers in Brussels.
He added:
Putin is clearly playing for time, unfortunately we have to say Putin is not really interested in peace.
Pistorius said of Putin: “He is still not ready for concessions, only talks about a ceasefire under his conditions.”
At least one civilian has been killed and 13 injured in Russian attacks across Ukrainian regions over the past day, regional authorities have reported.
Ukrainian air defences intercepted 93 of the 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force said.
Thirty-five of them were shot down, while 58 were neutralised by electronic warfare systems, according to the statement, The Kyiv Independent reported.
Russia has lost 975,800 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on 20 May.
This number includes 1,030 Russian casualties over the past day.
Russia has also lost 10,834 tanks, 22,567 armoured fighting vehicles, 49,093 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,067 artillery systems, 1,388 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,167 air defence systems, 372 aircraft, 336 helicopters, 36,621 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine, according to the report.
China says it backs “direct dialogue” between Russia and Ukraine, after US President Donald Trump announced the two would “immediately” start peace talks after he spoke with Vladimir Putin.
“China supports all efforts aimed at achieving peace,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
China said on Tuesday it supported “direct dialogue and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and advocate for the political resolution of the crisis”, Agence France-Presse reports.
“It is hoped that the parties concerned will carry on with the dialogue and negotiation so as to reach a fair, lasting and binding peace agreement acceptable to all parties,” Mao said.
Good morning and welcome to our blog covering developments in the Ukraine-Russia conflict following yesterday’s call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
While the US leader described the conversation as “excellent”, the Kremlin refused to agree to a ceasefire, despite pressure from Washington and European allies.
Speaking to reporters in Sochi after the two-hour conversation on Monday, Putin described the call as “very meaningful and frank” and said he was prepared to work with Ukraine on drafting a memorandum for future peace talks.
However, the Russian leader declined to support the US-proposed 30-day unconditional ceasefire, which Ukraine had already agreed to – and which Washington had framed as the call’s primary objective. Putin also suggested his country’s maximalist objectives in the war with Ukraine were unchanged.
Trump said he spoke with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders after his call with Putin.
In a statement late on Monday, Zelenskyy insisted Ukraine was ready for a full ceasefire and direct negotiations with Moscow, but said: “If the Russians are not ready to stop the killings, there must be stronger sanctions. Pressure on Russia will push it toward real peace.”
Stay with us for all the day’s developments.
