Russia blames Ukraine for halted talks

Russia's top diplomat says talks to end the fighting in Ukraine have “ground to a halt”, because Moscow hasn't received any response from Kyiv to its most recent set of proposals.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a press conference on Friday that “right now, they (talks) have ground to a halt, because another proposal we passed on to Ukrainian negotiators about five days ago, which was drawn up with their comments taken into account, it remains without a response.” Lavrov also charged that recent statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his advisors suggest “they don't at all need these talks, they have put up with their destiny.” However, Vladimir Medinsky, President Vladimir Putin's aide and Russia's lead negotiator at the talks with Ukraine, confirmed reports that he held several lengthy conversations Friday with the head of the Ukrainian delegation.

He didn't offer any details as to what was discussed or if any progress was made.

___ Moscow: President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia gave Ukrainian forces inside a Mariupol steel plant the option to surrender, with guarantees to keep them alive.

The comments came during a phone call between Putin and European Council President Charles Michel, according to a readout of the call provided by the Kremlin.

Putin also said the Ukrainian forces were offered “decent treatment and medical care.” “But the Kyiv regime does not allow them to take this opportunity,” Putin charged, according to the Kremlin.

___ London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK is looking at sending tanks to Poland to replace the Soviet-era T-72 tanks the Poles are shipping to Ukraine.

Johnson made the comments Friday during a news conference in New Delhi, where he held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I think perhaps what I haven't said publicly before is we're also looking more at what we can do to backfill in countries such as Poland who may want to send heavier weaponry to help defend the Ukrainians,” Johnson said. “So we're looking at sending tanks to Poland to help them as they sending some of their T-72s to Ukraine.”