Berlin urges Russia to agree to Ukraine ceasefire without conditions
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Germany urged Russia Wednesday to agree to a Ukraine ceasefire without conditions, after Moscow said an agreement to halt Black Sea strikes could only come into force after some restrictions were lifted.
"We once again urge Russia to agree to a complete ceasefire without further conditions," Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.
"It is not a situation for dialogue when a ceasefire is repeatedly tied to concessions and new demands... we must not be deceived by the Russian president."
Russia and Ukraine agreed Tuesday to halt military strikes in the Black Sea and on energy sites during talks brokered by the United States, which offered to ease pressure on agricultural exports as a first concrete incentive to Moscow.
The news came after three days of talks in Saudi Arabia on ending the war, with US negotiators shuttling separately between delegations from Ukraine and Russia.
The Kremlin said the agreement to halt strikes on the Black Sea could come into force only after the lifting of restrictions on its agriculture sector.
But Russia launched fresh drone strikes on Ukraine hours after the agreement was struck.
Baerbock said that the "continued massive attacks on Ukraine underscore that (President Vladimir) Putin is still trying to create facts on the battlefield," even as talks towards a ceasefire continue.