The Kremlin has said that the next US-Russia talks could take place on Sunday or early next week, as Washington is also due to hold talks with Kiev in the coming days.
"It may not be Sunday itself; the nuances are being agreed upon. It could be the start, the very start, of next week," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
The spokesman also accused European countries of planning to "militarise" themselves rather than seeking peace, as military chiefs gathered in the United Kingdom to discuss Ukraine’s defence.
"For the most part, the signals from Brussels and European capitals concern plans to militarise Europe," Peskov said.
"Europe has embarked on a militarisation of itself and has turned into somewhat of a war party," he added.
Europe to support Ukraine’s defence
Separately, on the way to a European Union leaders' summit, outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Europe must continue to strongly support Ukraine, regardless of any talks between Washington and Moscow, to ensure Kiev is in a position of strength and that any ceasefire is sustained.
"That means Ukraine can defend its independence and sovereignty, that it decides its own path and chooses its own leaders, and naturally, that it has a strong army in peacetime."
The debt package agreed upon by Germany's likely future coalition to finance increased defence and infrastructure spending was a key part of this, he added.
The Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, suggested that support for Ukraine should be demonstrated through actions, particularly in the form of ammunition that the war-torn country needs.
"If you listen to the statements of the leaders, then the support is very much there, and that is why it should also be seen in deeds, in numbers, in actual ammunition that Ukraine needs. So I'm really hopeful that we will push this forward," she said.
Earlier, Kallas emphasised that she would present two million rounds of large-calibre artillery ammunition, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
