Moscow rejects the option of "freezing" the Ukraine conflict and believes its root causes must be eliminated, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with TASS.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that no 'freeze' is possible without eliminating the root causes of this crisis," the deputy foreign minister said. "It is clear that Zelensky has completely lost touch with reality and is trying to escalate the conflict, provoking discontent even among countries that Kiev considers its partners."