Russia-Ukraine Talks: First round of ceasefire negotiations inconclusive, fighting escalates
As the fighting continues and causalities pile up, the first round of talks between Ukraine and Russia ended inconclusively.
Advisor to the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration, Mykhailo Podoliak stated that a number of core themes had been identified and that the delegations would return to their respective capitals for further discussion. The main talking point was on stopping the fighting.
Ceasefire talks took place near the Prypyat River on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.
Podoliak stated that the two parties would undertake a second round of talks as soon as possible. The second round of negotiation will likely take place on the Polish-Belarus border.
Podoliak also tweeted that while it did not impose any ultimatums, Russia “unfortunately still has a non-objective understanding of the destruction it has caused.”
Despite the fact that the meeting lasted several hours, no definitive resolution was reached. Ukraine has demanded the withdrawal of the Russian military from the entire country, including Crimea and Donbass, according to sources.
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Ukraine was represented by Podoliak, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, ruling party leader David Arakhamia, Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytskyi, diplomat Andriy Kostin and lawmaker Rustem Umerov. Meanwhile, the Russian side was represented by Presidential Advisor Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, lawmaker Leonid Slutsky and Russian ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov.
A day ahead of the ceasefire talks, Podoliak had said that Russia was seeking to force Ukraine into an “unacceptable compromise” with its all-out assault on Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Zelensky earlier said that he did not believe the peace talks would yield a positive outcome, however, negotiation would go ahead so that “no citizen of Ukraine doubts that I, as president, tried to stop the war when there was still a chance, however small.”
Fighting escalates
Following hours long inconclusive negotiations on Monday, Russia shelled the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv as it continued its invasion on the sixth day. Despite mounting global pressure that pressed war crimes probes opened against Moscow, sanctions smashing its economy and FIFA banning it from the World Cup, the Russian side has extended its offensive on Tuesday.
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Russia continued to assault residential areas after their first talks since the war began failed to produce a breakthrough Monday, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a global ban on Russian planes and ships.
The European Union has added prominent Kremlin-linked oligarchs and Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman to its sanctions blacklist as part of its newest round of punishment for the invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, over 350 civilians, including 14 children, have been killed during the invasion and more than half a million people have fled the country, according to Ukrainian officials.
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-PTC News
