rki.news
KYIV, May 2, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “trying to buy time” to prolong its war efforts, warning that any continued delays in peace talks must trigger “tough consequences.”
Zelensky’s comments came a day after Donald Trump claimed “progress” was made during separate calls with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said ceasefire talks should begin “immediately,” but the Kremlin offered no clear commitment. Putin proposed working on a “memorandum on a future peace agreement” but did not support a 30-day truce.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday that the next move rests with Kyiv, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed any sense of urgency, stating “there are no deadlines and there cannot be any.”
Zelensky also launched a fresh diplomatic push, speaking with Western allies to rally support. After a call with Finland’s president, he said Ukraine was pressing partners to keep pressure on Moscow.
The EU and UK announced new sanctions targeting Russia’s energy and military sectors. The EU blacklisted nearly 200 oil tankers tied to Russia’s shadow fleet and warned of tougher actions if Moscow continued to reject ceasefire calls. The UK added 18 more vessels to its sanctions list.
Amid this, Ukraine reported its largest drone attack since 2022, with 177 clashes and over 1,000 Russian casualties in just 24 hours.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius criticized Moscow’s posture, saying, “Putin is clearly playing for time and not genuinely interested in peace.”
Putin has rejected previous proposals for talks, including Zelensky’s offer to meet in Istanbul. Temporary ceasefires like those during Victory Day and Easter have seen brief lulls but ended in accusations of violations from both sides.
The war, now in its third year, shows little sign of slowing.