Russia, Ukraine trade blame over ceasefire breaches as Trump calls for peace

Russia, Ukraine trade ceasefire violation accusations at Antalya forum.

Russia and Ukraine traded accusations over ceasefire violations during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey on Saturday, highlighting persistent tensions despite a tentative, U.S.-brokered agreement to pause strikes on energy infrastructure.

The agreement, intended to reduce hostilities over a 30-day period, has been marred by mutual allegations of breaches almost from the outset. Both sides had engaged in separate negotiations with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia last month but quickly issued contradictory statements regarding the implementation timeline and terms.

According to Associated Press, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at the forum, accused Ukraine of daily attacks. “The Ukrainians have been attacking us from the very beginning, every passing day, maybe with two or three exceptions,” Lavrov said. He added that Moscow would provide the U.S., Turkey, and international organisations with a list of alleged Ukrainian violations over the past three weeks.

A Russian Foreign Ministry representative told state media that Moscow has shared intelligence with the U.S. detailing over 60 breaches by Ukraine.

Lavrov insisted that Russia had adhered to the ceasefire terms. However, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha contested that claim, stating, according to the AP, that Russia had launched “almost 70 missiles, over 2,200 (exploding) drones, and over 6,000 guided aerial bombs” at Ukraine, mostly targeting civilians, since the agreement began. “This clearly shows to the world who wants peace and who wants war,” he said.

The dispute unfolded as U.S. President Donald Trump urged progress toward peace. “Russia has to get moving” on ending the war, Trump posted on social media Friday, calling the ongoing conflict “terrible and senseless.”

Meanwhile, Russia continues to reject elements of a U.S.-supported agreement on securing Black Sea shipping lanes. Lavrov reiterated that any deal would be unworkable until Western restrictions on Russia’s access to shipping insurance, docking facilities, and international payments are lifted. The proposed deal echoes a similar 2022 arrangement mediated by the U.N. and Turkey, which collapsed after Russia withdrew last year.

On the battlefield, Ukraine reported the death of 26-year-old F-16 pilot Pavlo Ivanov, its second such loss. The fighter jet reportedly crashed while countering a Russian missile assault. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed condolences, stating, “We are proud of our soldiers. We will give a strong and apt response.”

Additionally, Russian drone attacks killed two civilians in Ukraine’s Kherson region on Saturday, according to regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

(With AP input)