Russia-Ukraine talks to continue in coming days
On February 28, Russia-Ukraine negotiations aimed at resolving the situation in Kiev took place in Gomel, Belarus. Both sides assessed that they had reached a number of points to be able to proceed to the second round in the coming days.
The Russian-Ukrainian talks lasted nearly five hours. Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky said the participants had reviewed the entire agenda in detail.
“We found points where we can foresee common positions. And most importantly, we agreed to continue the negotiation process. The next meeting will take place in the coming days on the Polish-Belarusian border,” the Russian presidential aide said.
Until then, the leaders of each delegation will consult on all negotiating positions with the country's leadership, Mr. Medinsky stressed.
Another Russian representative at the talks, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky, stressed that "the sides listened to each other" and "found a number of important points on which progress can be made."
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| Russia-Ukraine negotiations. Photo: rianovosti |
For his part, Mikhail Podolyak, advisor to the Chief of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration, said that for Ukraine, the main purpose of the meeting was to discuss a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops. The parties have identified priority topics from which to work out specific solutions. He added that these topics will be developed in the second round of negotiations.
The Ukrainian delegation, in addition to Mr. Podolyak, included Defense Minister Aekxei Reznikov, head of the Servant of the People party David Arakhamia, Deputy Foreign Minister Nikolai Tochitsky, member of the parliament Rustem Umerov, and First Deputy Head of the Ukrainian delegation in the Trilateral Contact Group Andrei Kostin.
On the Russian side, there were assistant to the President of Russia V. Medinsky, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksander Phomin and Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov.
Earlier, on February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin, responding to the appeal of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, signed a decree recognizing them and on February 24, he announced the start of a special military operation to demilitarize Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry stressed that they did not attack civilian targets.
