Ukraine accuses Russia of attempting to'manipulate' a cease-fire agreement, while oil prices hit 13-year highs.

 

Ukraine accuses Russia of attempting to'manipulate' a cease-fire agreement, while oil prices hit 13-year highs.

 Ukraine claims that Moscow is attempting to manipulate the cease-fire agreement by allowing only Ukrainian citizens to flee to Russia and Belarus.

 On Monday, Moscow said it will halt attacks in four Ukrainian towns, including Kyiv, to allow residents to flee. Several evacuation attempts were halted over the weekend after Russian forces were accused of violating cease-fires.

 Meanwhile, the potential of a Russian oil and gas ban has sent energy markets into a tailspin, with oil prices hitting 13-year highs. According to reports, Russia claims that military activity against Ukraine may be halted 'in a flash' if Ukraine satisfies certain requirements.

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, is claimed to have suggested that Russia is willing to suspend its military activity in Ukraine if Kyiv accepts a number of very problematic criteria.

According to Peskov, these include Ukraine suspending military activity, amending its constitution to establish neutrality, recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, and recognizing the rebel-held parts of Donetsk and Luhansk as autonomous territories.

"They were told that all of this may be stopped in a minute," Peskov said of Ukraine's policymakers being made aware of these situations. His remarks were widely regarded as Russia's most explicit indication yet of the conditions required to end Moscow's assault on Ukraine, which reached its twelfth day on Monday.

— Meredith, Sam