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UNITED NATIONS — <\/span>The United States accused Russia on Monday of a \u201cdangerous and inexplicable escalation\u201d of its nearly four-year war<\/a> in Ukraine at a time when the Trump administration is trying to advance negotiations toward peace.<\/p>\n U.S. deputy ambassador to the United Nations Tammy Bruce singled out Russia\u2019s launch of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile last week close to Ukraine\u2019s border with Poland, a NATO ally.<\/p>\n She told an emergency meeting of the Security Council that the United States deplores \u201cthe staggering number of casualties\u201d in the conflict and condemns Russia\u2019s intensifying attacks on energy and other infrastructure.<\/p>\n Ukraine called for the meeting after last Thursday\u2019s overnight Russian bombardment with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, including the powerful, new hypersonic Oreshnik missile<\/a>, which Moscow used for only the second time in what was a clear warning to Kyiv\u2019s NATO allies.<\/p>\n The large-scale attack came days after Ukraine and its allies reported major progress<\/a> toward agreeing on how to defend the country from further Moscow aggression if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.<\/p>\n The attack also coincided with a new chill in relations between Moscow and Washington<\/a> after Russia condemned the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker in the North Atlantic. And it came as U.S. President Donald Trump signaled he is on board<\/a> with a hard-hitting sanctions package meant to economically cripple Russia.<\/p>\n Moscow has given no public signal it is willing to budge from its maximalist demands on Ukraine. And Russia’s U.N. ambassador on Monday blamed the diplomatic impasse on Ukraine. <\/p>\n Europe\u2019s leaders condemned the attack using the Oreshnik as \u201cescalatory and unacceptable,\u201d and U.S. envoy Bruce was equally tough on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cAt a moment of tremendous potential, due only to President Trump\u2019s unparalleled commitment to peace around the world, both sides should be seeking ways to de-escalate,\u201d she said. \u201cYet Russia\u2019s action risks expanding and intensifying the war.\u201d<\/p>\n Bruce reminded Russia that nearly a year ago it voted in favor of a Security Council resolution calling for an end to the conflict in Ukraine.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be nice if Russia matched their words with deeds,\u201d she said. \u201cIn the spirit of that resolution, Russia, Ukraine and Europe must pursue peace seriously and bring this nightmare to an end.\u201d<\/p>\n But Russia\u2019s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council that until Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy \u201ccomes to his senses and agrees to realistic conditions for negotiations, we will continue solving the problem by military means<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe was warned long ago, with each passing day, each day which he squanders, the conditions for negotiations will only get worse for him,\u201d Nebenzia said. \u201cSimilarly, each vile attack on Russian civilians will elicit a stiff response.\u201d<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s U.N. Ambassador Andriy Melnyk countered that Russia is more vulnerable now than at any time since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Its economy is slowing<\/a> and oil revenue is down. <\/p>\n \u201cRussia wants to sell to this council and the whole U.N. family the impression that it is invincible, but this is another illusion,\u201d he told the council. \u201cThe carefully staged image of strength is nothing but smoke and mirrors, completely detached from reality.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n