Overview
- The Kremlin, in comments Tuesday, said it has seen no clear Ukrainian plan for an Easter truce and restated that it rejects any temporary ceasefire.
- Moscow said President Volodymyr Zelensky should make decisions that lead to “peace, not a truce,” ruling out short pauses in fighting.
- Kyiv has proposed an energy-focused pause to ease strain from an energy shock tied to the expanding war in the Middle East.
- U.S.-mediated contacts in recent months produced no concrete deals, and a planned Abu Dhabi meeting was canceled after the February 28 bombardments in the region escalated the crisis.
- Zelensky says earlier three-way talks made some progress and he is urging Washington to keep energy sanctions on Russia, arguing any easing would send more money to the Russian war effort.