The president’s comments came after he said Crimea “will stay with Russia,” a position backed by the mayor of Kyiv, who conceded that his country may have to give up territory.

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that his country would be ready to hold talks with Russia in any format once a ceasefire deal is in place and the fighting has stopped. Zelenskyy,

Russia and Ukraine are blaming each other for breaking the one-day Easter ceasefire that Putin had declared. The State Department said Sunday that the United States is committed to achieving a “full and comprehensive” ceasefire.