The UK’s Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has stated that there is no sign Russian President Vladimir Putin will agree to the recently proposed ceasefire deal. Speaking in the House of Commons, Lammy emphasized that while diplomatic efforts continue, Western allies are preparing stronger measures to push Moscow toward serious negotiations.

Lammy highlighted last week’s G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Canada, where leaders discussed expanding economic sanctions against Russia. These include targeting the energy and defense sectors, restricting oil revenues, and freezing Russian assets abroad. “We’re not waiting for the Kremlin,” Lammy asserted. “If they reject a ceasefire, we have more cards we can play.”

Following the recent ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and the United States, Lammy placed responsibility squarely on Moscow, stating that Putin “must answer” and prove his commitment to peace. Addressing the House, he challenged the Russian leader directly: “Are you serious, Mr. Putin, about peace? Will you stop fighting or will you drag your feet?” He called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin dismissed reports that the United States is withdrawing from the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, which is investigating war crimes committed by Russian leaders. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov downplayed the move, saying the US likely views the prosecution body as unnecessary.

Former Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Alina Frolova expressed skepticism about the success of upcoming negotiations between US President Donald Trump and Putin. She suggested that Putin would continue delaying tactics and insisted that any peace deal must be accepted by Ukraine and its European allies. “You can’t make a deal without Ukraine accepting it,” she stressed.

On the battlefield, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed advances in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, stating that its forces had captured the village of Stepove and defeated Ukrainian troops in several other settlements. However, these claims have not been independently verified.

As diplomatic and military tensions persist, the question remains: will Putin respond to growing international pressure, or will the conflict continue with no end in sight?