US defence department spokesman John Kirby has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of acting with “depravity” in his invasion of Ukraine.
Kirby became visibly emotional as he asked how anyone “moral” could justify the atrocities committed by Russia.
Russia’s ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov has rejected the accusation, describing the comment as “offensive and unacceptable”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday he was still open to peace talks with Putin, but he said there was a high risk they could collapse amid Russian aggression.
Speaking to Polish media, Mr Zelensky said he wanted to meet Mr Putin because “a single man decides everything” in Russia, however the destruction left by Russian forces in occupied areas has made any discussions tenuous, he said. “After Bucha and Mariupol people just want to kill them. When there is such attitude, it is hard to talk about anything.”
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