Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia is likely preparing a new attack on Ukraine rather than working towards peace. The Kremlin, the Ukrainian leader said, has ramped up its offensive along Ukraine‘s eastern border, particularly in the Sumy region. The Ukrainian president accused Vladimir Putin of “ignoring diplomacy” as Kyiv’s allies continue to work on ceasefire plans, which Russia has not yet accepted. He wrote on X: “I would like all partners to understand exactly what Putin is planning, what he is preparing for, and what he will be ignoring. The buildup of Russian forces indicates that Moscow intends to keep ignoring diplomacy. It is clear that Russia is prolonging the war.“

This comes as the Russian president was told he should pay a staggering $500 billion (£386 billion) in damages caused to Ukraine. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has suggested frozen Russian assets should be given to Ukraine. He wrote in The Sun: “It must be Moscow, not Ukrainians or Western taxpayers, who pay to rebuild the infrastructure that Russia has so deliberately destroyed.”

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