Ukraine and its European allies accused Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday of feigning interest in peace efforts after five hours of talks with US envoys at the Kremlin produced no breakthrough.

The Russian leader “should end the bluster and the bloodshed and be ready to come to the table and to support a just and lasting peace,” said British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged Mr Putin to “stop wasting the world’s time”.

The remarks reflect the high tensions and gaping gulf that remain between Russia on one side and Ukraine and its European allies on the other over how to end a war that Moscow started when it invaded its neighbour nearly four years ago.

A day earlier, Mr Putin accused the Europeans of sabotaging the US-led peace e

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