Russia sees no point in a weak ceasefire to freeze the war in Ukraine but Moscow wants a legally binding deal for a lasting peace that would ensure the security of both Russia and its neighbours, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has dismissed Donald Trump’s calls for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, labelling it a “path to nowhere.” While Lavrov expressed openness to dialogue, he emphasized security guarantees and long-term agreements as prerequisites.

Russia has said it would only accept a legally binding ceasefire deal for a lasting peace that would ensure the security of both Russia and its neighbours. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, said that a weak ceasefire to freeze the war in Ukraine would be futile and counterproductive.

Some businesses have begun using crypto, including bitcoin, to make international payments, Russia's finance minister said.

Russian companies have begun using bitcoin and other digital currencies in international payments following legislative changes that allowed such use in order to counter Western sanctions, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Wednesday.

Facing crippling sanctions, Russia is turning to cryptocurrency to keep its global trade alive. With Bitcoin now fully legal for international payments in Russia, President Putin has embraced it as a compelling alternative to traditional finance.