Russia and Ukraine expressed progress at the end of their talks on Wednesday. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s aide Mykhailo Podolyak said that there are, however, ‘fundamental contradictions’ in ending Russia’s war on Ukraine. Podolyak said that there is still some room for compromise, news agency AFP said in a report.
“We’ll continue tomorrow. A very difficult and viscous negotiation process. There are fundamental contradictions. But there is certainly room for compromise,” Zelensky’s aide said in a tweet. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov also said that there are hopes of a compromise between both nations.
Lavrov said that the talks now focus on giving Ukraine a neutral military status. “Talks are now continuing on giving Ukraine neutral military status, in the context of security guarantees for all participants in this process,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by news agency Interfax. Lavrov reiterated that demilitarising Ukraine still remains a priority. “This is what is now being discussed at the talks. There are absolutely specific wordings and in my view, the sides are close to agreeing on them,” he further added.
Talks between both parties resumed on Tuesday.
Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will also meet Sergey Lavrov as Turkey facilitates ceasefire talks between both nations. He is also scheduled to travel to Kyiv after leaving Moscow.
“We are sending our foreign minister to Russia today. He will hold talks in Moscow tomorrow. He will travel to Ukraine on Thursday. (Cavusoglu) will continue our efforts to achieve a ceasefire and peace through talks with both sides,” Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan told news agencies. Earlier, Turkey hosted foreign ministers of both nations acting as a mediator on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
Russia’s lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky at the end of the meeting said that the Kremlin wants peace to return soon after the talks. He accepted that the talks were slow and difficult. He said Ukraine’s neutrality is key and cited examples of Austria and Sweden. Medinsky said that the republics of Donetsk and Luhansk as well as the situation regarding the Crimean peninsula were also discussed.
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