Peace talks ended for the time being +++ Violent explosions in Kyiv and Kharkiv
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine ended without any tangible result. “We are going back to the capitals for consultations,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak told journalists today after the meeting on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.
He did not give details. Both sides had identified a number of key issues on which “certain decisions” would need to be made. The meeting lasts more than five hours. The delegation from Ukraine returns to Kyiv in the evening.
The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, told the Interfax agency: “First of all, we agreed to continue the negotiation process. The next meeting will take place on the Polish-Belarusian border in the coming days.” Both sides had agreed on that. Until then, the delegations would consult with their “leaders of the country”.
Russian foreign policy chief Leonid Slutsky said Russia wanted to form a position within 24 hours. Then the date and time for the next round of negotiations would be determined. In a brief statement, Podoljak also underlined Kiev’s negotiating goal: “The main goal was to stop the fire on the territory of Ukraine and the fighting.”
The talks had started at noon with a significant delay. Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makej opened it, as videos from Belarusian state media show. The talks were held on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. The fighting continued despite the negotiations.
The Russian delegation was led by the Kremlin’s special envoy, Medinski. Presidential faction leader David Arakhamiya led the Ukrainian side. The delegation from Moscow also included: Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, the Russian envoy at the negotiations of the so-called Contact Group, Boris Gryzlov, and Leonid Slutsky.
In addition to Arakhamiya, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, Presidential Advisor Podoliak (see tweet above), the deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation in the trilateral contact group (Minskkram), Andriy Kostin, MP Rustem Umyerov and Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytskyi traveled to the Ukrainian delegation.