KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday welcomed Russia’s offer for direct peace talks, but insisted there must be a full, temporary ceasefire in place before negotiations can start.

Zelenskyy’s comments came a few hours after Russia’s President Vladimir Putin effectively rejected a ceasefire offer made a day earlier by Ukraine and its European allies. Putin countered with a proposal to restart direct talks with Ukraine, during which a truce could be negotiated.

The exchange of proposals appeared to leave Kyiv and Moscow deadlocked over the next steps in Washington-led effort to end the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year

During his election campaign, U.S. President Donald