RUSSIA has repeated its position that it will not accept peacekeepers to Ukraine from any country that has supplied weapons to Kiev.

In an interview with the Tass news agency, Kirill Logvinov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of International Organisations, said the Europeans “are turning an absolutely deaf ear to warnings that we categorically oppose the very idea of putting boots of those countries which continue to send weapons to Kiev on the ground in Ukraine.”

Mr Loginov described the collective West as “arrogant” in its refusal to listen to Russia’s position and to continue planning for something they have been told is a non-starter.

The French government hosted a summit of 30 countries on March 27, labelled as “the coalition of the willing,” where a number said they were willing to take part in a potential mission in Ukraine.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier in March that a potential deployment of Nato troops under any flag and in any capacity on Ukrainian soil would pose a threat to Russia.

He said Russia would not tolerate Nato troops on Ukrainian soil “under any conditions.”

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump lashed out at both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky as he struggled to force the truce that he boasted on election that he could achieve almost immediately.

Although President Trump insisted to reporters that “we’re making a lot of progress,” he acknowledged that “there’s tremendous hatred” between the two men.

In an interview with NBC News Mr Trump said he was “angry, pissed off” that President Putin questioned Mr Zelensky’s credibility.

The Russian leader recently said that President Zelensky lacks the legitimacy to sign a peace deal and suggested that Ukraine needed external governance.

President Trump said he would consider adding new sanctions on Russia, which already faces steep financial penalties, and using tariffs to undermine its oil exports.