War in Ukraine: “First round” uncertain between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators

Discussions should continue between Kiev and Moscow. Vladimir Putin informed Emmanuel Macron of his maxims to stop the conflict: disarmament of Ukraine and recognition of the Russian Crimea.

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The discussions held, Monday, February 28, between Ukrainian and Russian representatives around a possible ceasefire in Ukraine lasted five hours, obvious sign of seriousness. During this long moment, the two delegations spoke in a secret place, known as the bucolic name of “fisherman’s cabin”, located on the edge of the River Prypiat, on the border between Belarus and Ukraine, and at A few tens of kilometers as the bird stroke running for Kiev control.

On the Russian side, a group led by the Advisor of Vladimir Putin and former Minister of Culture, Vladimir Medinski; Ukrainian side, a coupling gathering, among others, the Minister of Defense, Oleksii Reznikov, and the President Volodymyr Zelensky Mykhailo Podoliak. Russian television did not fail to notice that the first group, in impeccable costumes, was more crazy than the second, which had just arrived from a long journey through Ukraine, Poland and Belarus, and wearing a more relaxed style, cap on the head for one of its members.

Another sign of serious discussions, the negotiators interrupted their work for a moment, during the afternoon, to consult the respective Presidents. This type of consultation generally involves a decision to be taken on a specific point.

 The Russian and Ukrainian delegations met for their first interviews, Monday, February 28, 2022.
The Russian and Ukrainian delegations met for their first interviews, Monday, February 28, 2022. Sergei Kholodilin / AP

de decision, however, there were any of the announced. And the comments given after the meeting offer little catch at the interpretation. The Ukrainian part recalled that the main objective was to discuss an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of the Troops of Ukrainian territory. “The parties have identified a number of priority topics on which some decisions have been sketched”, simply declared the head of the delegation, Mr. Podoliak, after the discussions, evoking a “first round”. Adding a little confusion, a Councilor of the Ukrainian Presidency stated since Kiev that the withdrawal of Russian troops should also concern Crimea and Donbass.

demilitarization of Ukraine

The two capitals have confirmed the next outfit of new negotiations, which should take place “in the coming days at the Polono-Belarusian border,” said Vladimir Medinski, returned to Moscow for “consultations”. His deputy, Leonid Slustski, mentioned, without going into detail, two topics of discussion, “the ceasefire and demilitarization of Ukraine”.

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/Media reports.