Russia Orders Army To Broaden Attack On Ukraine ‘From All Directions’, Says Kyiv Refuses To Hold Talks At Belarus

kraine on Saturday denied suggestions that it was refusing to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia but said it was also not ready to accept ultimatums or unacceptable conditions.

Moscow: The Russian army has been given orders to broaden its offensive in Ukraine “from all directions,” after Kyiv refused to hold talks with Kremlin in Belarus, news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported on Saturday quoting Moscow’s defense ministry. However, Ukraine on Saturday denied suggestions that it was refusing to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia but said it was also not ready to accept ultimatums or unacceptable conditions.

“Ukraine is not refusing to negotiate but not ready for Russian ultimatums,” news agency Reuters reported quoting an official in Kyiv.

The Kremlin also accused Ukraine of prolonging the military conflict by refusing to negotiate as Russia pressed on with its invasion of the pro-Western country.

“In connection with the expected negotiations, the Russian president yesterday afternoon ordered the suspension of the advance of the main forces of the Russian Federation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a conference call, according to AFP report.

“Since the Ukrainian side refused to negotiate, the advance of the Russian forces resumed this afternoon,” Peskov said.

Maps of Ukraine comparing areas under Russian control as of February 24 and February 25 by 1800 GMT (Photo/AFP)

On Friday, as Moscow’s forces approached Kyiv, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin was ready to send a delegation for talks to Belarus, where Russia has stationed thousands of troops. Belarus is one of the places from where Ukraine says it is being attacked.

A few hours later, Putin called on the Ukrainian army to overthrow the country’s leadership whom he described as “terrorists” and “a gang of drug addicts” and “neo-Nazis”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had repeatedly called for talks with Putin during a weeks-long diplomatic push in which Western countries tried to deter Russia from launching an attack.

As Russian troops closed in on Kyiv on Friday, Zelensky issued a new statement urging talks.”I would like to address the President of the Russian Federation once again. Fighting is going on all over Ukraine. Let’s sit down at the negotiating table to stop the deaths of people,” he had said.

The Kremlin on Saturday also said that Russia had “seriously prepared” for the international sanctions, which it said it had “predicted.” “Measures are being taken immediately to minimise damage to all sectors of our economy,” Peskov said.

Russia has been hit by a barrage of Western sanctions after Putin announced his attack on Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday.