They drew attention to a statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who effectively claimed that Russia does not wish to agree to an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine unless it results in Ukraine’s full capitulation.

The Kremlin and Russian Foreign Ministry have claimed that Moscow is continuing preparations for a meeting between the leaders of Russia and the United States, while complaining about widespread "rumours and disinformation" surrounding the issue.

Commenting at a news conference in Moscow on media reports claiming the meeting was postponed, Peskov noted that a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump cannot be postponed, as a specific date has not yet been established. "No specific dates have been mentioned. There's currently no agreement on them," he said.

President Donald Trump's unexpected pivot on the Russia-Ukraine War seems to have created headaches for the Kremlin.

The Kremlin said on Monday that it had its own capabilities to cover all of its battlefield needs after being asked about a Ukrainian claim that China was providing intelligence to enable Moscow to better launch missile strikes against Ukraine.

Moscow appears to have rejected President Trump’s latest call to freeze the current front lines in Ukraine, reiterating that “Russia’s stance doesn’t change.”  Addressing Trump’s proposal over the

This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission. The European Union and Ukrainian President

Syria’s interim leader, who led a swift rebel offensive last year that ousted former Syrian President Bashar Assad despite years of Moscow’s support, made his first visit to Russia and held talks with President Vladimir Putin.

As a Ukrainian, I’ve seen firsthand how Russia has learned to emulate American soft power for authoritarian ends.