MOSCOW, March 31. /TASS/. Russia does not accept a temporary truce in the Ukrainian conflict and calls for lasting peace in Ukraine. Therefore, Vladimir Zelensky needs to assume responsibility and pursue a conflict settlement, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"We repeat once again: Zelensky must take responsibility and make the appropriate decision so that we reach peace, not a truce," Peskov said at a news briefing.

Peskov also said that Zelensky’s Easter ceasefire proposal did not actually represent a clear initiative.

"We failed to see a clearly formulated initiative regarding an 'Easter ceasefire' in those statements from Zelensky that we have read," he noted reiterating that Zelensky should pursue a peaceful settlement, not a ceasefire, immediately, as the price of peace for Kiev will become even higher later.

"Zelensky can and should make a timely decision [to pursue a sustainable peaceful settlement]," Peskov emphasized. "Delaying this decision will come at a heavy cost."