The Russian president insists he is ready to sit down for talks to end the fighting - but that "those who refuse to do so should know that the longer it lasts the more difficult it will be for them to make a deal with us"

Vladimir Putin has told Kyiv it should quickly accept Moscow's terms or brace for the worst, adding ominously that Russia has barely started its action in Ukraine.

The Russian president has also accused Western allies of fuelling the hostilities, charging that "the West wants to fight us until the last Ukrainian".

It's a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it looks like it's heading in that direction," he said during a meeting with leaders of the Kremlin-controlled parliament.

Everybody should know that largely speaking, we haven't even yet started anything in earnest."

He insisted Russia remains ready to sit down for talks to end the fighting - but that "those who refuse to do so should know that the longer it lasts the more difficult it will be for them to make a deal with us".

We are hearing that they want to defeat us on the battlefield," he added

"Let them try."