US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed strong reservations over a proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine without Russia's withdrawal. He was apparently referring to a recent Chinese overture.

Beijing issued a document last month that urges Russia and Ukraine to seek dialogue and a ceasefire.

In a ministerial-level meeting with his Japanese and European counterparts on Tuesday, Blinken said that such ceasefires would allow Russia to "consolidate the gains that it's made" and "simply use the time to rest and refit and then re-attack."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed the importance of Russia's withdrawal from his country. He said, "A cessation of Russia's aggression and the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity are essential conditions for peace."

In a video message for the meeting, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa stressed Japan's resolve as the Group of Seven chair to make efforts to maintain the unity of the G7 countries in order to stop Russia's aggression as soon as possible.

He went on to say that Japan will "promote strict sanctions against Russia and robust support for Ukraine."