Spotlight on the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine

However, the Russian President’s advisor, Vladimir Medinsky, at the head of his country’s negotiating team, said the day before, that there were nuances in the proposed agreements regarding what Ukraine would get from security guarantees in addition to the existing ones, in case this did not happen. Enter the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Amid tepid comments, representatives from both countries hinted this week that an Austrian or Swedish-style demilitarized state arrangement might become a feasible option for how.

“We would like it to be an agreement for generations, so that our children also live in peace, and this negotiation process lays the foundation for it,” said Medinsky, who explained that Moscow’s conditions had not changed.

He stressed that “we need a peaceful, free, independent and neutral Ukraine, which is not a member of military blocs, nor a member of NATO, a friend of ours, and a neighbor with whom we work to develop relations together and build our future.” .

He explained that Moscow opposes Ukraine, which is a springboard for military and economic attacks against Russia.

Adviser to the Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian President Mikhail Podolak, at the head of his country’s delegation to the talks, explained that there is still much to discuss, analyze and decide on peace between the two parties and the future of bilateral relations. .

“Negotiations could take several weeks or even longer because of mutual legal issues,” Podolak told Bloomberg.

He explained that the main demands of the Ukrainian side are “a cease-fire, withdrawal of forces and a political settlement of the issue of the disputed territories.”

Earlier, the Kyiv representative told the Polish press that the two delegations “maintain their positions”, and therefore reaching an agreement could take several days. “During that time, we should be closer to crafting a peace treaty,” he said.

The Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, on Thursday, in a telephone conversation with the National Security Adviser of the US President, Jake Sullivan, warned against the expansion of the Ukraine negotiations.

The Russian side drew attention to the inadmissibility of attempts by the Ukrainian authorities to prolong the consultation process based on instructions from abroad.

Patrushev called on Washington to “exercise its influence on Kyiv in order to achieve early progress in resolving the crisis through diplomacy.”

msm / mml