Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of failing to pause strikes after U.S. envoy leaves Moscow

Russia and Ukraine trade accusations at high-level conference in Turkey, highlighting challenges in ending 3-year-old war.

Russia and Ukraine’s top diplomats on Saturday (April 13, 2025) used a high-level conference in Turkey to once again trade accusations of violating a tentative U.S.-brokered deal to pause strikes on energy infrastructure, underscoring the challenges of negotiating an end to the 3-year-old war.

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The two Foreign Ministers spoke at separate events at the annual Antalya Diplomacy Forum, a day after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss peace prospects. Ukraine's European allies promised billions of dollars to help Kyiv keep fighting Russia’s invasion.

While Moscow and Kyiv both agreed in principle last month to implement a limited, 30-day ceasefire, they issued conflicting statements soon after their separate talks with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia. They differed on the start time of halting strikes and alleged near-immediate breaches by the other side.

“The Ukrainians have been attacking us from the very beginning, every passing day, maybe with two or three exceptions,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, adding that Moscow would provide the U.S., Turkey and international bodies with a list of Kyiv's attacks during the past three weeks.

A representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry separately told state media Saturday that Moscow has been sharing intelligence with the U.S. regarding more than 60 supposed breaches of the deal by Kyiv.

Lavrov on Saturday insisted Russia had stuck to the terms of the deal.