Ukrainian and European officials are accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of faking interest in peace efforts.

Dressed head to toe in army fatigues, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday received the news he had been awaiting for more than a year: Russia had taken over the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratcheted up tensions with Europe, warning that if the bloc starts a war with Russia, Moscow is ready.

The two sides did not reach any specific compromises, an aide to President Vladimir V. Putin said, as the United States pushes a plan to end the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his country is prepared to fight against European nations, many of which are part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), in a comments to reporters on Tuesday.

The Russian leader accused Kyiv’s European allies of trying to undermine peace talks by amending a U.S. peace plan devised with Kremlin input, in remarks ahead of a meeting with White House special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will be in India this week for a summit aimed at deepening economic, defense and energy ties, a visit that will also test New Delhi’s efforts to balance relations with Moscow and Washington as the war in Ukraine grinds on.

Live updates and the latest news as U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin discuss the war in Ukraine and Tennessee holds a special congressional election.