'Do You Expect People To Believe That?': Laura Kuenssberg Blasts Putin Official's Claim Russia Wants Peace

Laura Kuenssberg and Andrei KelinRussia’s ambassador to the UK has sparked incredulity after he insisted his country was making “every effort” to end the war in Ukraine.Andrei Kelin made the extraordinary claim while being interviewed by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.Unlike Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin has so far failed to sign up to a US proposal for a 90-day ceasefire in the war to allow peace talks to take place.Donald Trump has said he is “very angry and pissed off” that Russia is dragging its heels as he tries to keep his election pledge to end the war.Kuenssberg told Kelin: “You were the aggressor. Russia carried out an illegal invasion of Ukraine, and you are saying you won’t stop the fighting until you get what you want.”The ambassador replied: “We have made every effort on the diplomatic field.”But Kuenssberg said: “Do you expect people to believe that? The point is Russia is continuing brutal and gruesome attacks that are taking the lives of Ukrainian civilians, and there is evidence that you are amassing troops, conscripting thousands of new soldiers to keep fighting this war.“That’s not the behaviour of a country that wants to engage seriously in a peace process.”Asked what his country’s message was to America, Kelin said: “We are glad that the Americans are listening to our reasons, concerns, root causes and all of that. We understand that they are now serious about our motives as well.”Meanwhile, the cost to Russia’s economy of the ongoing war has been laid bare by the UK intelligence.High interest rates and soaring inflation will make it difficult for Putin to sustain his current levels of military spending, the Ministry of Defence said.Related...Blow For Putin As War In Ukraine Causes Huge Damage To Russian EconomyPutin Has Drawn 'Condemnation From Russian Parents' Over Major Ukraine War Move, UK SaysNorth Korea Has Suffered More Than 5,000 Casualties Fighting For Russia In Ukraine, UK Says

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