On Saturday, top diplomats from Russia and Ukraine exchanged accusations at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, highlighting the complexities of ending the ongoing three-year conflict. The foreign ministers participated in separate discussions, a day after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to explore peace prospects. Meanwhile, Ukraine's European allies pledged billions of dollars to support Kyiv against Russia's invasion.
Last month, both Moscow and Kyiv tentatively agreed to a limited 30-day ceasefire to pause attacks on energy infrastructure. However, following discussions with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia, both sides issued conflicting statements, leading to allegations of violations and differing timelines regarding the ceasefire’s initiation.
During the forum, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of incessantly attacking, claiming Russia would present a list of Ukraine's alleged attacks over the prior three weeks to the U.S., Turkey, and international entities. A representative from the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that they had shared intelligence with the U.S. regarding more than 60 supposed breaches of the ceasefire by Kyiv.
Lavrov emphasized that Russia adhered to the terms of the ceasefire, a claim contested by his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha. Sybiha stated that since the agreement, Russia has fired “almost 70 missiles, over 2,200 drones, and over 6,000 guided aerial bombs at Ukraine, mostly targeting civilians.” He interpreted this as a clear indication of each side’s commitment to peace.
Despite Russia maintaining strategic advantages in the conflict, Kyiv warned that Moscow is preparing for a fresh spring offensive, potentially intensifying its pressure on Ukraine and improving its negotiating stance. Ukraine has supported a more extensive U.S. ceasefire initiative, which Russia has obstructed by enforcing stringent conditions. European governments have accused Putin of stalling progress towards peace.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed on social media that “Russia has to get moving” regarding peace negotiations, characterizing the war as “terrible and senseless.” Lavrov reiterated that a proposed U.S.-backed agreement for secure navigation of commercial vessels in the Black Sea cannot materialize until restrictions on Russian shipping insurance, docking ports, and international payment systems are lifted. While details of the potential deal were not disclosed, it seemed aimed at ensuring safe shipping in the Black Sea, following a previously brokered deal by the U.N. and Turkey that Russia halted the next year.
In a separate development, Ukraine’s air force reported the loss of its second F-16 fighter jet supplied by Western allies, with the pilot, 26-year-old Pavlo Ivanov, killed. The Ukrainian General Staff noted that the F-16 crashed while attempting to fend off a Russian missile strike. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy extended condolences to Ivanov's family, pledging a strong response. The conflict has seen the loss of the first F-16 last August, following its interception of three Russian missiles and a drone.
Tragically, Russian drone strikes in Ukraine's southern Kherson region claimed the lives of at least two civilians, as reported by local Governor Oleksandr Prokudin, indicating the continuing toll of the conflict on innocent lives.
