Russia Ukraine War: Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said on Tuesday that Moscow had approached Kyiv and Chernihiv to “increase confidence” in talks aimed at ending the war. It has been decided to “fundamentally cut” the military operation.
He said that the Russian army would cut military activities in the direction of Kyiv and Chernihiv. Fomin’s statement came during the face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine’s negotiators in Turkey on Tuesday. It is the first time since Russia launched its attack on Ukraine on February 24 that Russia has shown some leniency.
A Ukrainian interlocutor said a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin could happen soon.
Russia Ukraine Talks: Putin and Zelensky may meet soon, Moscow promises to reduce attacks
Ukraine’s negotiator David Arkhamia raised the prospect of a meeting between the presidents of the two countries, saying “the results of today’s meeting are sufficient for a meeting at the leaders’ level.”
Chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, “After today’s fruitful discussions, we have agreed and proposed a solution, according to which a meeting of heads of state is possible simultaneously with the signing of the Treaty of Foreign Ministers.”
Ukraine will not take back Lugansk and Donetsk?
“Subject to fast-tracking the deal and making the necessary compromises, the chances of a peace building will become very close,” he said.
Medinsky said the Ukrainian side had submitted written proposals that called for Ukraine to become a “permanently neutral state under international security guarantees”, with the aim of granting it non-nuclear status.
He said that under Kyiv’s proposals, these guarantees would not cover Crimea belonging to Russia or the separatist regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, which meant that Kyiv would abandon attempts to militarily recapture these regions.
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