Kremlin: Biden has key to end Ukraine conflict but doesn't use it

The Kremlin said on Friday that U.S. President Joe Biden had the key to end the conflict in Ukraine by directing Kyiv, but that Washington had so far not been willing to use it.

In a daily briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the U.S. could end the conflict quickly if it wanted but was instead "pumping weapons into Ukraine".

Moscow has in the past accused Ukraine of taking orders from Washington and says that the U.S. is prolonging the conflict by supplying Kyiv with weapons. The U.S. says that Moscow unleashed the war and it can only end if Russia withdraws its troops.

"US HAS BEEN 'DEMONISING' PRIGOZHIN'S WAGNER GROUP FOR YEARS"

The Kremlin brushed off the United States' designation of the Wagner private military group as a transnational criminal organisation, saying Washington had been "demonising" the group for years without any basis.

British defence chiefs said last week that Wagner, founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a long-time confidante of President Vladimir Putin, could have recruited up to 50,000 Russians to fight in Ukraine alongside Russia's official armed forces.

"NEW SANCTIONS FROM JAPAN 'NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT"

The Kremlin said on Friday fresh sanctions levelled on Russia by Japan were nothing to worry about as it said Russia was adapting to life under such restrictions.

Tokyo said on Friday it was tightening its economic sanctions on Russia after the latest wave of deadly missile strikes against Ukraine.