Russia's end goal remains the same: to seize more territory and move the line of Russian-controlled territory deeper and deeper into Ukraine. The US and Russia remain as far apart as ever over who is to blame for the current escalation in fighting in eastern Ukraine. The weekend’s deadly rocket attacks on the government-held port city of Mariupol on Saturday have been described by the UN at an extraordinary meeting of the Security Council as a ceasefire violation and a war crime. US Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, didn’t mince her words when she described the restarting of the rebel offensive in eastern Ukraine as being ‘Moscow-made’: She said: unfortunately we are back here today because Russia and the separatists have once again flouted these commitments. The targets are fresh ones, but Russia’s end goal remains the same: to seize more territory and move the line of Russian-controlled territory deeper and deeper into Ukraine.’