Kremlin: Europe is hindering Trump’s peace efforts on Ukraine

The Russian army had sped up its rate of advance in Ukraine and was taking control of 600-700 square km a month. Above, damaged buildings in Kyiv. (AFP)

• European powers say that they do not believe Vladimir Putin wants peace in Ukraine

MOSCOW: The Kremlin said that European powers were hindering US President Donald Trump’s efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine and that Russia would continue its operation in Ukraine until Moscow saw real signs that Kyiv was ready for peace.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media reporters that the “European party of war” was continuing to hinder US and Russian efforts on Ukraine.
“We are ready to resolve the problem by political and diplomatic means,” Peskov said. “But so far we do not see reciprocity from Kyiv in this. So we shall continue the special military operation.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops.
The United States says over 1.2 million people have been killed and injured in the war since 2022. Russia currently controls a little under one fifth of Ukraine.
European powers say that they do not believe Putin wants peace in Ukraine. Putin has repeatedly said he is ready to discuss peace but that Russia will not give up any of the land that it has taken in Ukraine.
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said on Friday that the Russian army had sped up its rate of advance in Ukraine and was taking control of 600-700 square km (502 square miles) a month compared to 300-400 square km at the start of the year.