Putin Faces Trump's Deadline, Signals Not To End The War With Ukraine

JAKARTA Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow hopes there will be more peace negotiations with Ukraine. But the war actually continues, signaling no change in its stance even though the deadline for sanctions from Washington is getting closer.

US President Donald Trump previously said he would impose new sanctions on Moscow and countries that buy its biggest energy exports are China and India unless Russia acts before August 8 to end the war that has been going on for 3.5 years.

Trumph expressed his growing frustration against Putin, accusing him of being "empty" and calling Russia's latest attack on Ukraine "disgraceful".

Putin, without referring to Trump's deadline, said three sessions of peace negotiations with Ukraine had yielded some positive results, and Russia hoped negotiations would continue.

"Regarding the disappointment of any party, all disappointments arise from excessive expectations. This is a common general rule," he said.

"However, to approach this issue peacefully, it is necessary to have detailed discussions and not in public, but this must be done calmly, in the silence of the negotiation process," continued Putin.

Putin said Russian troops attacked Ukraine along the front lines and its momentum was in their favor, citing his Defense Ministry announcement on Thursday that Moscow forces had captured the Ukrainian city of Chasiv Yar after 16 months of fighting.

Ukraine denies Chasiv Yar is under full Russian control.

Ukraine has been urging an immediate ceasefire for months, but Russia says it wants a final and final settlement, not a pause. Since peace negotiations began in Istanbul in May, Ukraine has launched some of its toughest airstrikes during the war, especially in the capital Kyiv.

The Ukrainian government says Russian negotiators have no mandate to make important decisions and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked Putin to meet with him to negotiate.

"We understand who made the decision in Russia and who should end this war. The whole world also understands this," Zelenskyy said on Friday, August 1, reaffirming his call for direct negotiations.

"The United States has proposed this. Ukraine has supported it. What is needed is Russia's readiness," Zelenskyy said.

Russia says meetings of leaders can only be held to ratify the agreement reached by negotiators.

Ukraine and its European allies have often said they are not convinced Putin is truly interested in peace and accuse him of buying time, the Kremlin denies.

"I repeat once again, we need a long and lasting peace over a good foundation that will satisfy Russia and Ukraine, and ensure the security of the two countries," Putin said, stressing this was also a security issue for Europe.

Putin spoke with his ally, Alexander Lukashenko, Belarusian President, during talks on the island of Lake Ladoga, the location of the famous Russian monastery.

Russian TV previously broadcast the two men greeting monks at Monastery Valaam, where they had met several times before, and held candles while chanting prayers.