Ukraine said it would seek to discuss a ceasefire, immediate withdrawal of troops and security guarantees with Russia on Monday after both sides reported rare progress at the weekend, despite fierce Russian bombardments, according to Reuters.
Previous rounds of talks have had similar aims but have ended up focused mainly on humanitarian issues and agreed ceasefires to supply towns and cities under siege by Russian forces have frequently failed.
“Negotiations. 4th round. On peace, ceasefire, immediate withdrawal of troops & security guarantees. Hard discussion,” Ukrainian presidential adviser and negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak said online.
Russia denies targeting civilians, describing its actions as a „special operation” to demilitarize and “deNazify” Ukraine. Ukraine and Western allies call this a baseless pretext for a war of choice.
“Talks between Russia and Ukraine on Monday have started and communication between the two sides is hard but ongoing,” Podolyak said on Twitter.
“The parties actively express their specified positions. Communication is being held yet it’s hard. The reason for the discord is too different political systems,” added Podolyak.
Russian troops have yet to enter the capital but thousands of people have died in other occupied or encircled towns and villages since the invasion on February 24.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, discussed diplomatic efforts to stop Russia’s invasion, the State Department said, after Russia and Ukraine gave upbeat assessments of weekend negotiations.