KYIV/MOSCOW (Reuters) – Ukraine and Russia blamed one another after a push to agree a brand new ceasefire in japanese Ukraine broke down late on Thursday as tensions over a Russian troop buildup close to its southern neighbour endured.

Ukraine mentioned Moscow had rejected a sequence of its proposals, together with prisoner swaps, reopening a checkpoint and increasing a joint communications centre. Ukrainian troops have battled Russian-backed forces in its east since 2014.

“Sadly, all initiatives of the Ukrainian aspect had been rejected by the Russian Federation beneath contrived pretexts,” an announcement by Ukraine’s delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), which additionally contains Russia and the Group for Safety and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), mentioned.

Russia mentioned late on Thursday that Kyiv had submitted “completely absurd” proposals and accused it of imitating negotiations on the talks.

Moscow singled out a proposal so as to add Germany and France to the Joint Centre for Management and Coordination, a bunch tasked with implementing ceasefire agreements.

“In such circumstances, the Donetsk, Lugansk (separatist authorities) and the OSCE thought of it unimaginable to proceed talks. We’re understanding of this determination,” mentioned Boris Gryzlov, Russia’s envoy within the contact group.

There was no instant assertion from the OSCE.

Russia on Thursday saved up a barrage of hostile rhetoric in the direction of Ukraine and in contrast the disaster there to essentially the most harmful second of the Chilly Battle because it waited for U.S. President Joe Biden to ask it to attainable talks with NATO nations.

It was not instantly clear if there could be new talks to attempt to get the ceasefire push again on monitor.