(AP) – Top Russian and Ukrainian diplomats on Saturday used high-level meetings in Turkey to exchange charges that they once again violated US mediated deals, suspending strikes over energy infrastructure and highlighting the challenge of negotiating the end of the war three years ago.
The two foreign ministers spoke at separate events at the annual Antalya Diplomatic Forum. This was when US envoy Steve Witkov met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the outlook for peace. Ukrainian European allies on Friday pledged billions of dollars to help Kiev continue to fight Russian invasions.
Moscow and Kiev last month agreed in principle to implement a limited 30-day ceasefire, but issued a contradictory statement shortly after separate consultations with US officials in Saudi Arabia. They differed at the start of stopping the strike, claiming a near-impedance violation by the other side.
“Ukrainians have been attacking us every day, probably with two or three exceptions,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov added that Moscow will provide a list of Kiev's attacks to the US, Turkey and international groups over the past three weeks.
A representative from the Russian Foreign Ministry told state media on Saturday that Moscow was sharing information with the US on what appears to be more than 60 violations of Kiev's contract.
Lavrov claimed on Saturday that Russia had stuck to terms of the deal.
His Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha fought over the claims, saying that Russia had fired “nearly 70 missiles, over 2,200 (explosive) drones, and more than 6,000 guided air bombs, primarily civilians.”
“This is clearly shown in a world that wants peace and war,” he said.
Russian troops retain their advantages in Ukraine, and Kiev warns that Moscow is planning a new spring attack to put pressure on the enemy and improve its negotiating position.
Ukraine approved a broader US ceasefire proposal, but Russia effectively blocked it by imposing widespread conditions. The European government has accused Putin of dragging him in.
President Donald Trump posted on social media on Friday that he is on his way to end the war, saying, “Russia needs to move around.” He said war was “awful and pointless.”
Lavrov on Saturday repeatedly reiterated future U.S. aid agreements to ensure that the forward-looking agreements for US aid, which are also being discussed in Saudi Arabia, cannot be implemented to ensure that the safe voyages of Black Sea commercial vessels until access to Russian transport insurance, docking ports and international payment systems are restricted.
Details of future transactions have not been announced, but appeared to mark another attempt to ensure safe Black Sea transport after the 2022 agreement, which was mediated by the United Nations and Turkey, but was stopped by Russia the following year.
