Ukraine Stalling Peace Talks With Russia: Putin Tells German Chancellor

Putin, however, added that Russia was still keen to continue negotiations with Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (File Image)

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a telephonic conversation on Friday that Kyiv was attempting to stall peace talks with Moscow.

“It was noted that the Kyiv regime is attempting in every possible way to delay the negotiation process, putting forward more and more unrealistic proposals,” the Kremlin said in a readout of the call, Reuters reported.

Putin, however, added that Russia was still keen to continue negotiations with Ukraine.

“Nonetheless the Russian side is ready to continue searching for a solution in line with its well-known principled approaches,” the Kremlin said.

The German Chancellor on his part called for a ceasefire in Ukraine during the phone call with the Russian President.

A German government spokesperson said Scholz in their nearly hour-long conversation also stressed that the humanitarian situation needed to be improved and progress needed to be made in finding a diplomatic solution as soon as possible, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, the aid agencies continue to ramp up their efforts to bring much-needed relief supplies to the civilians affected by the fighting as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth week.

“What we have been doing is bringing more people into the country, bringing more assistance into the country, working with partners to make sure that we can work effectively, to do what we can to help,” said United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh, AP reported.

Rzeszow, the largest city in south-eastern Poland, has become a humanitarian aid hub for the region.

The aid supplies, including food, blankets, solar lamps, warm clothing, mattresses, jerrycans and plastic sheeting, continue to arrive in a massive warehouse run by the UNHCR next to the airport outside Rzeszow, which is roughly 100 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.