Russian forces will seize a bigger slice of Ukrainian territory unless Kyiv agrees to a ceasefire, a senior Russian diplomat has claimed.<\/p>\n
Andrey Kelin, Russia’s ambassador to the UK, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government had more to lose by prolonging the war.<\/p>\n
He spoke to The National on Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring both sides to the negotiating table. <\/p>\n
Reports suggested Mr Witkoff, accompanied by Mr Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, left with no indication of a breakthrough. <\/p>\n
Mr Trump has pledged to end the nearly four-year war, but progress has been slow. He has lashed out at leaders on both sides.<\/p>\n
“In the last three months, during the autumn, we have liberated 86 settlements – and the tempo of our advancement is increasing,” Mr Kelin told Hadley Gamble, chief international anchor for IMI, which owns The National and Sky News Arabia.<\/p>\n
If Mr Trump pulls out of the talks, or Mr Zelenskyy refuses to progress them, Ukraine will lose more land, Mr Kelin claimed. <\/p>\n
“We will continue movement in a higher tempo, and we will get much more of Ukraine’s territory … and they will have to withdraw. And we will end [on] terms [that] will be much worse for Ukrainians.”<\/p>\n
Russia has seized about 20 per cent of Ukraine since February 2022. The two sides have in recent weeks fought for control of Pokrovsk, a crucial industrial heartland close to the front line. Russia claims it has seized much of the city, with Ukraine on the back foot.<\/p>\n
The meeting in Moscow took place after weeks of intense diplomacy but failed to achieve much, with Russia claiming parts of the proposed peace plan were unacceptable. <\/p>\n
Asked how Russia will ever re-establish trust with its European counterparts, Mr Kelin said he had \u201cno idea”. Mr Putin, on Tuesday, dressed in army-style battle fatigues, said he was ready for war with Europe. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe don’t need it. If this will come, this will come naturally,\u201d Mr Kelin said. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut there are many people in the West, also in the UK, who do not trust the current official line towards Russia,” he said, without specifying whom. <\/p>\n
“And I have many cases when people are approaching me and saying, ‘we don’t believe this government. We still would like to be in good terms with Russia and with Russians'”.<\/p>\n
Russia shows ‘no sign of engaging meaningfully’<\/b><\/p>\n
Nato foreign ministers met in Brussels on Wednesday to accelerate defence investments as tensions rise among European allies<\/a> over how to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.<\/p>\n