Russia declined to attend a hearing at the United Nation’s top court, on Monday, at which Ukraine is asking for an immediate order to halt the conflict, AFP reports.

“The court regrets the non-appearance of the Russian Federation in these oral proceedings,” International Court of Justice President, Joan Donoghue said.

According to AFP, the Russian ambassador to the Netherlands, Alexander Shulgin, wrote to the court and “indicated that his government did not intend to participate,” the judge said.