You're listening to the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service.

Hello, I'm Oliver Conway, and this edition is published in the early hours of Saturday the 15th of March.

Is Vladimir Putin serious about a ceasefire in Ukraine?

President Trump says he thinks Russia is going to make a deal, but others are more skeptical.

G7 foreign ministers have threatened Moscow with further sanctions if it doesn't sign up.

Also in this podcast...

We will never, ever, in any way, shape or form be part of the United States.

America is not Canada.

We hear from the newly sworn-in Canadian Prime Minister.

How close are we to a ceasefire in Ukraine?

In the past few hours, President Trump said he felt Russia would make a deal.

Pretty good vibes coming out, he said.

But the Europeans and Ukrainians fear Vladimir Putin is playing for time.

Here's the EU Foreign Affairs Chief, Kayakales. We see now what Russia is doing. So the reactions

were really not unconditional, but conditional. And of course, these conditions that have been

presented are not acceptable.

It also shows clearly that Russia does not really want peace. Their end goals haven't changed,

and we have to keep that in mind.

Kayakala speaking at the G7 meeting in Canada. The foreign ministers there agreed a joint statement expressing unwavering support

for Ukraine and threatening further sanctions against Russia if it didn't back a ceasefire. The US

Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said he was cautiously optimistic of a deal, but he was pressed

on the timeframe by the BBC State Department correspondent, Tom Bateman.

...