**Ukraine Rejects Russia’s “Absurd” Ceasefire Condition**
The Ukrainian government has dismissed Moscow’s demand for the country to destroy or dismantle Western-supplied weapons as a condition for a ceasefire. The demand was made by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, who said that all international algorithms should be followed and that the surplus weapons must be reduced, disposed of, and guaranteed.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi called Russia’s demands “absurd” and showed “complete disregard for the United States’ efforts to end the war.” This is not the first time Moscow has made maximalist conditions in its so-called “peace memorandum” during negotiations with Ukraine. The recent peace talks ended with an agreement on major prisoner exchanges and repatriation of fallen soldiers, but failed to achieve a breakthrough.
**US Support for Ukraine**
The US government has been increasingly disengaged from the effort to broker peace in Ukraine, despite President Donald Trump’s initial pledge to do so within 24 hours of taking office. The US has also been reluctant to apply pressure on Moscow to push it to a ceasefire deal, despite repeatedly threatening additional sanctions.
Ukraine’s parliament has supported a bill allowing Ukrainian citizens to hold passports of foreign countries, and the country’s Foreign Ministry has brushed off Russia’s demands for Kyiv to destroy or dismantle Western-supplied weapons as a condition for a ceasefire. This shows that Ukraine is determined to resist Russian pressure and maintain its sovereignty.
**Escalating Tensions**
The situation on the ground in Ukraine remains volatile, with intense fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists. At least 23 people have been killed and 134 others injured after a mass Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight on June 17. The attacks left several people hospitalized with blast trauma and shrapnel wounds.
Ukraine’s military has reported that it shot down 12 drones, while 18 disappeared from radars or were intercepted by electronic warfare systems. Russia has launched 58 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys against Ukraine overnight, targeting mainly the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
**Sanctions on Russia**
The European Union and its allies are ready to toughen sanctions on Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit on June 17. The G7 talks have produced concrete results for Ukraine, including increased military support, new tranches of aid using frozen Russian assets, and additional sanctions targeting the sources of Russia’s war effort.
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