The Kiev government provoked the latest escalation of violence in east Ukraine as it needs money from its Western partners, which is easier to achieve when a nation pretends to be a victim and facing aggression, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

"The Ukrainian leadership today needs money, and the best way to extort money is [to do that] from the European Union, from certain countries in Europe, from the United States and international institutions, presenting itself as a victim of aggression," Putin said.

The Russian leader made the comments during a joint press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest.

Putin also noted that after supporting a particular candidate in the US presidential elections - apparently hinting at Hillary Clinton - the Ukrainian government is now seeking to establish closer ties with the new administration under Donald Trump.

"The Ukrainian opposition has been more active amid clear [government] failures in the economic area and social policy," Putin said. He noted that the ruling elite in Kiev is now seeking to silence the opposition and "mobilize" people around the government, which is easier to achieve "against the background of a renewal of some conflict."

If Kiev hoped that by restarting fighting in East Ukraine it would force the new US president to pick a side it has (so far) failed. Unlike Obama Trump's administration is not rushing to back Kiev at all:

White House spokesman Sean Spicer had little to say on Wednesday when asked for the administration's position on the renewed fighting that began over the weekend and persisted into early Wednesday. At least 10 people have been killed and dozens wounded. President Donald Trump has been "kept aware of developments" in Ukraine, Spicer said, and the White House will "have further updates as we go on." It was not immediately clear when those updates would come.

In fact even the State Department has been uncharacteristically diplomatic:

"On Tuesday, the State Department responded to the violence in Ukraine but omitted any mention of Russia in a six-sentence statement that called for an immediate cease-fire and full implementation of the agreements meant to outline a political resolution to the crisis."

"The omission of Russia from the responses contrasted sharply with statements by the Obama administration, which sharply criticized Moscow for supporting and even directing attacks by the separatists, and not fulfilling its obligations under the 2015 truce plan signed in Minsk, Belarus."

"During the last surge in violence in December, former State Department spokesman John Kirby had gone far further, accusing Moscow of backing "a Russian separatist attempt to seize additional Ukrainian territory."

Instead of blasting Russia when it's obviously their guys who started the fighting the US is this time merely calling for a return to ceasefire and for Minsk II to be implemented -- exactly Russia's own position. This is refreshing. Let's see if it lasts.