RABAT: The United States still doubts that Russia is serious in talks with Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, after reports of progress at a meeting in Turkey.
“I’ve not seen anything to suggest that this is moving forward in an effective way because we have not seen signs of real seriousness” from Russia, Blinken said at a press conference in Morocco.
“There is what Russia says and there is what Russia does. We’re focussed on the latter,” he said.
“What Russia is doing is the continued brutalisation of Ukraine and its people, and that continues as we speak.”
Blinken was addressing journalists alongside Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita during a regional tour.
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His comments came hours after Russia said it would scale down fighting around two Ukrainian cities – including the capital Kyiv – following “meaningful” talks with Ukraine on Tuesday in Istanbul.
More than a month of conflict has left thousands dead and forced millions from their homes.
Blinken said that “as a result of this aggression committed by Russia… fully half of the children of Ukraine have been displaced from their homes.”
He called on Russia to “end the aggression now, stop firing, pull its forces back and, of course, engage in talks.”
He said Ukrainians were engaging in the negotiations “with a gun literally to their heads”.
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