After Failed Ukraine Peace Talks, Europe Prepares For New Sanctions On Russia
Russia has said that it wants to end the conflict through diplomacy and is open to discussing a ceasefire. However, it voiced concerns that Ukraine might use the pause to bring in mobilise more troops, and acquire additional weapons from the West.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that European nations were coordinating with United States to come up with additional sanctions against Russia, in case it continues to reject "unconditional ceasefire" with Ukraine.
"We are continuing to prepare new sanctions in coordination with the United States," Macron said at a leaders' meeting in Albania, as reported by news agency AFP.
Macron's remark comes after the peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow in Istanbul ended without a breakthrough.
No Progress On Ceasefire In Peace Talks In Istanbul
Negotiators from Russia and Ukraine met on Friday in Instanbul at their first direct peace talks in over three years after pressure from US President Donald Trump to end the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two.
The meeting, a rare sign of diplomatic progress between the two warring sides that had not held a face-to-face discussion since March 2022, however, ended without any further breakthrough. The only positive outcome of the two-hour talks was that the two sides agreed to exchanging 1,000 prisoners of war each.
While Trump and Ukraine pushed for a 30-day ceasefire ahead of the talks, Russia rejected it and stuck to its maximalist demands, including imposing sweeping restrictions on Ukraine.
Trump, who is on a Middle East tour and would be heading back to Washington soon, stated on Friday that he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "as soon as we can set it up," highlighting how there would be no progress till he meets the Russian leader himself, news agency Reuters reported.
The head of Ukraine's Istanbul delegation laid out the country’s main goals for peace, saying it could only happen if Russia agrees to a 30-day ceasefire, returns Ukrainian children taken during the war, and allows a full exchange of prisoners of war.
Russia said it wanted to end the conflict through diplomacy and that it is open to discussing a ceasefire. However, it voiced concerns that Ukraine might use the pause to bring in more troops, rest them, and acquire additional weapons from the West.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and its allies have been accusing President Putin of dragging his feet, stressing he is not genuinely interested in ending the war.
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