Lavrov says there is a chance of agreement with Ukrainian negotiators
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sees the Ukrainian negotiating team's proposals as realistic and believes there is a chance of an agreement being signed.
Source: Russian state media "RIA Novosti" quoting Lavrov
Quote: "Based on the results of the round of negotiations held in Istanbul on 29 March, we see signs of realism in the position of the Ukrainian delegation. Realism regarding ways of ensuring Ukraine's security. It has become clear to Kyiv's representatives that security guarantees are impossible to obtain in NATO and that it should forget about NATO membership.
There is still a chance (of success in the negotiations - ed.) Moscow is determined to not let such chances go to waste".
Details: Additionally the minister saw more "realism" in Ukraine's proposals regarding the status of Russian-occupied regions of Donbas and Crimea.
According to Lavrov, the Ukrainian and Russian negotiation teams are currently in "very intensive" communication via video conferencing.
Most importantly, he believes the Ukrainian side appears to be ready to accept a neutral and non-nuclear status for Ukraine.
However, the Russian minister added that he did not yet see a clear path on how these proposals would be legally formalised in an international agreement. Lavrov added that a meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia is only possible after the emergence of a clear written agreement.
Background:
- Following a face-to-face meeting between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul on 29 March, talks have continued online between working groups in a number of areas.
- On 2 April, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would only agree to end the war "by achieving the goals of the special operation" and not as a result of ceasefire negotiations. At the same time, Oleksandr Chaly, a member of Ukraine's delegation to the talks, said that the agreement with the Russians would not include the words "demilitarisation" and "denazification", which Putin identified as the main goals of the war against Ukraine.
- Earlier, the head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, Davyd Arahamiya, said that a new round of talks with the Russians would have to be held if Ukrainians did not support the security guarantees agreement via a referendum and instead chose to support Ukraine continuing its course towards NATO membership.
- Speaking to journalists in Bucha near Kyiv, where the Russian occupiers have committed blatant war crimes against Ukrainians, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that delaying a personal meeting of the two heads of state was detrimental to Russia itself. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is acting as mediator, has said he will try to organise a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin as soon as possible.
