Ukraine, Russia to hold second round of ceasefire talks today: Russian delegation

Amid the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, a top aide for Russian President Vladimir Putin informed that Ukrainians are on their way to Belarus for talks that have been scheduled for Thursday. Speaking to reporters, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, said that the Ukrainian delegation has already departed from Kyiv. According to him, the two sides agreed on the Brest region of Belarus, which borders Poland, as the site of the talks. 

“As far as I know, the Ukrainian delegation has already departed from Kyiv, is en route ... We're expecting them tomorrow,” Medinsky told reporters Wednesday evening. 

Separately, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office confirmed to AP that the delegation is on its way, but gave no details on the time of the arrival. 

It is to mention that Thursday’s meeting would mark the second round of the talks between Russia and Ukraine. The officials from the two countries had met on the Belarus border on Monday, February 28, however, those talks seemed to yield no progress. The two sides wandered through all agenda topics in detail and found several points where similar stances could be projected and agreed to continue the negotiation process, according to Russian delegation chief Vladimir Medinsky.

Russia-Ukraine talks 

Now, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian authorities are ready for talks, but will not accept Russia’s ultimatums. Ukraine has demanded the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and an immediate ceasefire. Russia, on the other hand, has said that a settlement is possible with Ukraine’s denazification and demilitarisation and recognition of Crimea. Russia has also demanded the war-torn country adopt neutral status. 

Radio Bulgaria reported Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow “will offer Ukraine an agreement that will guarantee the legal rights of all peoples in the country”. Lavrov referred to the Ukrainian law on indigenous peoples in the country, which does not include the Russian people. "These are things that already create a legislative basis for further Russophobic policy and not only Russophobic - against all other national minorities: Hungarians, Romanians, Poles, Bulgarians," he added. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister has said that Ukraine had asked NATO to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine, and the alliance was already considering the request. 

(Image: AP)