Moscow, Kyiv trade blame over truce delay

MOSCOW — Russia and Ukraine traded new barbs over faltering peace efforts on Thursday, with Moscow accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of blocking diplomacy and Kyiv saying Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted the conflict to continue.

United States President Donald Trump has said he will walk away from trying to negotiate a settlement to end the conflict if Kyiv and Moscow do not make a deal soon.

Crimea has emerged as a major sticking point between Moscow and Kyiv, and Zelensky angered Trump by reiterating on Tuesday that he would not recognize the peninsula as part of Russia.