Russia accuses Kyiv and the West of rejecting diplomacy to solve conflict in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Interim President of the Republic of Mali Assimi Goita, in Moscow

(Reuters) -Russia prefers political and diplomatic means to resolve conflict in Ukraine, but Kyiv and the West rejected that path, Russian news agencies reported on Sunday, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

“Our preferred route is through political and diplomatic means,” Peskov said, according to TASS state news agency.

Peskov added, without providing evidence, that Moscow continues its military operation in Ukraine because “all proposals for dialogue were rejected, both by Ukraine and by Western countries.”

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Jamie Freed)