Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Talks continue, more U.S. sanctions on Russia

BEIJING, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The Russia-Ukraine conflict continued on Thursday as relevant parties are working to broker a peaceful solution. Following are the latest developments of the situation:

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Russia and Ukraine are continuing negotiations but there remains a long way to go, stressing that Moscow would like Kiev to be more active during the negotiations.

The withdrawal of Russian troops from the Kiev region was to facilitate the peace talks, he told France's LCI broadcaster earlier in the day.

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The Ukrinform news agency reported Wednesday that in an interview with Turkey's Haberturk television channel, Zelensky said "in any case, we must find even small opportunities for the negotiation process. Without this, I think it is difficult to end the war."

Zelensky emphasized the importance of the mediation by other countries, including Turkey, in the talks.

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Zelensky instructed the government to formalize the cessation of Ukraine's trade with Russia, the presidential press service said in a statement Wednesday.

In fact, import and export operations between Ukraine and Russia have been completely terminated since the start of the conflict, the statement said.

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The United States on Wednesday imposed additional sanctions on Russia for its military operation in Ukraine, targeting the country's major financial institutions and the two daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to a factsheet from the White House detailing the measures, U.S. President Joe Biden will sign an executive order banning new investment in Russia by Americans no matter where they live.

Additionally, Americans will no longer be allowed to conduct business transactions with major Russian state-owned enterprises, whose assets subject to U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen. The U.S. Department of the Treasury will announce the names of these entities on Thursday.

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Wednesday invited Putin to a summit meeting in Budapest to make progress toward an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Orban said that he spoke on the phone with Putin, who called him Wednesday morning to congratulate him on his election victory.

"I know (a ceasefire) is not going to happen by itself, so I invited Putin, the presidents of Ukraine and France, and the German chancellor to Budapest, the sooner the better," Orban said.

Orban added that Hungary is ready to pay for Russian gas in rubles if necessary, unlike other European Union countries, which have rejected Moscow's request.