Russia is only playing for time in Ukraine peace talks, Germany says
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Tuesday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of not really being interested in peace in Ukraine, saying he was only playing for time in talks with the United States.
Europe needs to increase the pressure on Russia by imposing more sanctions, especially on Russia's energy sales, Pistorius added.
"We have seen massive (Russian) attacks again in recent days ... These speak louder than the lip service (to the peace process) we have heard for so long," Pistorius said before a meeting of EU defence and foreign affairs ministers in Brussels.
"Putin is clearly playing for time, unfortunately we have to say Putin is not really interested in peace."
Russia and Ukraine are set to start negotiations after Putin spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, but Putin said the process would take time.
After Trump briefed them on his call, European leaders agreed to increase pressure on Russia through fresh sanctions.
Ahead of Tuesday's meeting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot accused Putin of hypocrisy.
"I believe that when Vladimir Putin continues to uphold his hypocritical language, everyone has understood that he will carry on with his colonial war to the end if we do not put a stop to it."
"Let us push Vladimir Putin to put an end to his imperialist fantasy by adopting (EU) sanctions that are truly dissuasive."
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the United States needed to join the bloc in increasing pressure on Russia.
"We all agreed and said ... that if they don't agree to unconditional ceasefire, like Ukraine has agreed over 60 days ago, there will be strong action," Kallas said ahead of the meeting.
"And that is what we want to see from all the parties who have said that they will act in accordance," she said.
(Reporting by Andrew Gray, Lili Bayer and Bart Meijer; Additional reporting by John Irish; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Conor Humphries)
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