Russia and Ukraine accuse one another of failing to pause strikes after U.S. envoy leaves Moscow

Smoke rises within the sky over the town after a Russian drone strike amid Russia’s assault on Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine , onApril 12, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: Reuters

Russia and Ukraine’s high diplomats on Saturday (April 13, 2025) used a high-level convention in Turkey to as soon as once more commerce accusations of violating a tentative U.S.-brokered deal to pause strikes on power infrastructure, underscoring the challenges of negotiating an finish to the 3-year-old struggle.

Additionally Learn | Russia lays out calls for for talks with U.S. on Ukraine

The 2 International Ministers spoke at separate occasions on the annual Antalya Diplomacy Discussion board, a day after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to debate peace prospects. Ukraine’s European allies promised billions of {dollars} to assist Kyiv preserve combating Russia’s invasion.

Whereas Moscow and Kyiv each agreed in precept final month to implement a restricted, 30-day ceasefire, they issued conflicting statements quickly after their separate talks with U.S. officers in Saudi Arabia. They differed on the beginning time of halting strikes and alleged near-immediate breaches by the opposite facet.

“The Ukrainians have been attacking us from the very starting, each passing day, perhaps with two or three exceptions,” Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov stated, including that Moscow would supply the U.S., Turkey and worldwide our bodies with an inventory of Kyiv’s assaults throughout the previous three weeks.

A consultant of the Russian International Ministry individually advised state media Saturday that Moscow has been sharing intelligence with the U.S. relating to greater than 60 supposed breaches of the deal by Kyiv.

Lavrov on Saturday insisted Russia had caught to the phrases of the deal.

His Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, fiercely contested that declare, saying Russia had launched “virtually 70 missiles, over 2,200 (exploding) drones, and over 6,000 guided aerial bombs at Ukraine, principally at civilians,” since agreeing to the restricted pause on strikes.

“This clearly exhibits to the world who desires peace and who desires struggle,” he stated.

Russian forces maintain the benefit in Ukraine, and Kyiv has warned Moscow is planning a contemporary spring offensive to ramp up stress on its foe and enhance its negotiating place.

Ukraine has endorsed a broader U.S. ceasefire proposal, however Russia has successfully blocked it by imposing far-reaching situations. European governments have accused Putin of dragging his toes.

“Russia has to get shifting” on the highway to ending the struggle, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media Friday. He stated the struggle is “horrible and mindless.”

Lavrov on Saturday reiterated {that a} potential U.S.-backed settlement, additionally mentioned in Saudi Arabia, to make sure secure navigation for business vessels within the Black Sea couldn’t be carried out till restrictions are lifted on Russian entry to transport insurance coverage, docking ports and worldwide fee methods.

Particulars of the potential deal weren’t launched, nevertheless it appeared to mark one other try to make sure secure Black Sea transport after a 2022 settlement that was brokered by the U.N. and Turkey however halted by Russia the next 12 months.

Ukraine’s air drive stated a second F-16 fighter jet provided by Western allies has been misplaced and its pilot, 26-year-old Pavlo Ivanov, killed.

Ukraine’s Common Workers stated the F-16 crashed whereas repelling a Russian missile strike. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday provided condolences to Ivanov’s household, saying, “We’re happy with our troopers. We are going to give a powerful and apt response.”

Ukraine stated the primary F-16 was shot down final August, after it intercepted three Russian missiles and a drone.

Since final July, Ukraine has obtained a number of batches of the fighter jets from Denmark and the Netherlands, with U.S. approval. Their whole quantity has not been disclosed.

In the meantime, Russian drones killed not less than two civilians in Ukraine’s southern Kherson area on Saturday, in response to native Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin.