UK to Host Ukraine Talks Amid Rumors Russia May Back Down

That Putin's public pledges were not borne out by military reality, saying: "Despite President Putin's promise of a 30-hour pause in fighting, I can confirm that defence intelligence have found, and I quote 'no indication that a ceasefire on the frontline was observed over the Easter period'."

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He added: "So, while Putin has said he declared an Easter truce - he broke it. While Putin says he wants peace he rejected a full ceasefire. And while Putin says he wants to put an end to the fighting - he continues to play for time in negotiations."

Yesterday, Zelenskyy said that Russia had continued to bomb the frontline with first-person view drones over Easter, though he said the number of attacks had been scaled back and did not use long-range weapons.

Healey also said he would meet with the Ukrainian defence minister, Rustem Umerov, "as the government is bringing together US, UK and European ministers and national security advisers to discuss next steps".

Ukrainian sources indicated that the foreign secretary, Andrii Sybiha, was expected in London to meet Lammy, Kellogg and delegations from France and Germany at meetings expected to last the day.

Healey said the meetings would include discussion of "what a ceasefire might look like and how to secure peace in the long term".