After the call, the Kremlin said: “It was pointed out that the Kyiv regime is trying in every possible way to delay the negotiations by offering more unrealistic proposals.”
“But the Russian side is ready to continue to search for solutions in line with its well-known, principled approach,” he added.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the phone conversations between Putin and the German chancellor were “difficult”, but stressed the need to continue this type of contact.
Peskov said it was still too early to talk about an agreement that Russian and Ukrainian negotiators could sign.
“We can only say that the Russian delegation shows a desire to work faster than it is now,” he told reporters.
“Unfortunately, the Ukrainian delegation is not ready to speed up the pace of talks,” he added.
Putin also stressed in his call with Shultz that Russian forces were “doing everything in their power” to rescue civilians, including through safe passages, according to the Kremlin, which noted that about 43,000 people were evacuated from the city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine on Thursday.
Putin will also speak by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday evening, Peskov said.
#unrealistic #proposals #Putin #accuses #Ukraine #procrastinating #negotiations