CNBC: Vladimir Putin behaves as if he is not interested in peace, but Russia's economy may still depend on it.

Although the Kremlin has so far rejected the idea of a ceasefire and continues bombarding Ukrainian territory, economic pressures are increasing. The Ministry of Finance in Moscow announced at the beginning of August a budget deficit of 4.88 trillion rubles (61.1 billion dollars) in the first six months of the year, equivalent to 2.2% of GDP.