NNA - The UK and France on Friday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of unnecessarily delaying agreeing to a US-backed ceasefire proposal to halt Moscow's ongoing war in Ukraine.

"Our judgement is that Putin continues to obfuscate, continues to drag his feet,” UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a joint address with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot in Brussels on Friday.

Russia "owes an answer" to the US, Barrot agreed, adding that Moscow continued to strike Ukraine's energy infrastructure, despite the Kremlin declaring that the deal covered a halt in strikes on energy facilities.

The US ceasefire proposal, presented to Russia three weeks ago, called for a full interim 30-day pause in fighting in the Black Sea as well as across the frontline.--agencies

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