According to state media, Russia’s leading negotiator has stated that “Kyiv” has “essentially agreed” Moscow’s key demands that it not join NATO or allow foreign troops and bases on its soil.
“Ukrainian negotiators have basically agreed to Russia’s principal security demands of rejecting NATO membership and regarding foreign military bases upon its territory,” Vladimir Medinsky, the Kremlin chief negotiator, has stated. He also noted that Ukraine had “stated its willingness to comply with core Russian demands” in the statement. He spoke further to Rossiya-24 on Wednesday.
“Yesterday, the authorities in Kiev declared that they are ready to negotiate with Russia for the first-ever time.” They gave us the paper principles of a future agreement. It includes: rejection of NATO entry, fixation of Ukraine’s block-free status, and renunciation nuclear weapons.
On Wednesday, there were more positive signals from the Ukrainian side. MykhailoPodolyak, its negotiator, stated that while a deal with Russia was in the making, it would only go before a national referendum if Russia has withdrawn all of its troops to their pre-invasion on February 23rd positions. This is a big, if because it’s impossible for anyone to predict what the Russian military will do or how they’ll fight.
Given the current battlefield situation, however, it appears that there is still a long way to go before a complete and final ceasefire can ever be reached.
- SPOKESPERSON, UKRAINE DEFENCE MINISTRY SAYS RUSSIAN FORCES ARE PREPARING TO RESUME OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS
- UKRAINE DEFENCE MINISTRY POKEESPERSON – RUSSIA’S MAIN EFFORTS ARE CENTRED ON ENCIRCLING UKRAINIAN TROOPS in THE EAST OF UKRAINE
