Russia claims that Ukraine is prolonging the war by refusing to engage in dialogue.

MOSCOW (AFP) – The Kremlin accused Ukraine on Saturday of prolonging the armed crisis by refusing to talk, as Russia continued its assault of the pro-Western country.

“In conjunction with the planned discussions, the Russian president yesterday afternoon ordered the pause of the advance of the Russian Federation’s major troops,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said during a conference call with reporters.

“Because the Ukrainian side refused to talk, Russian military continued their advance this afternoon.”

As Moscow’s soldiers approached Kyiv on Friday, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin was ready to send a team for negotiations to Belarus, where Russia has thousands of troops stationed.

It is one of the locations from which Ukraine claims to be under assault.

A few hours later, Putin called for the Ukrainian army to replace the country’s government, which he termed “terrorists” and “a band of drug addicts and neo-Nazis.”

During a weeks-long diplomatic drive to discourage Putin from launching an assault, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeatedly urged for discussions with the Russian leader.

On Friday, as Russian soldiers moved in on Kyiv, Zelensky made a new statement advocating dialogue.

“I’d want to address the Russian Federation’s President once again.” Fighting is raging in Ukraine. “Let us meet down at the bargaining table to put an end to people dying,” he urged.

On Saturday, the Kremlin also stated that Russia had “seriously prepared” for the Western sanctions, which it had “predicted.”

“Immediate measures are being made to minimise harm to all areas of our economy,” Peskov added. Following Putin’s announcement of an attack on Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, Russia has been subjected to a torrent of Western sanctions.