Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia on Monday of trying to buy time to continue the war in Ukraine and its occupation of Ukrainian territory, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
A day after U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the war with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, Zelensky said the conflict should be ended through negotiations, but there must be clear and realistic proposals at the negotiating table.
The Ukrainian president, who said he had spoken with his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb about the peace process, also called for more international sanctions to increase pressure on Russia.
"The most important thing is for diplomacy to be well-coordinated and focused on achieving clear results," he said, quoted by Ukrinform.
"It is obvious that Russia is trying to buy time to continue the war and occupation", Zelensky wrote on "Telegram".
"We are working with our partners to put pressure on the Russians to behave differently. Sanctions are important and I am grateful to everyone who imposes increasingly tangible sanctions," he added.
Trump said that Russia and Ukraine should immediately begin negotiations to achieve a ceasefire, but the Kremlin said the process would take time. The US president has hinted that he is not ready to join Europe in imposing new sanctions on Russia.
Trump also said he had made his intentions known to Zelensky, as well as to the leaders of the EU, France, Italy, Germany and Finland.
"We have no doubt that the war must end at the negotiating table", Zelensky wrote on "Telegram".
"There must be clear and realistic proposals. Ukraine is ready for all effective formats of negotiations. And if Russia continues to set unrealistic conditions and undermine the results, there will be serious consequences," he added.
Putin, whose forces control a fifth of Ukraine and are advancing on the front, is sticking to his terms for ending the war, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from four Ukrainian regions that Russia claims but now only partially controls.