Negotiations are ‘very real’ said Zelenskiy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has given an optimistic view of Ukraine and Russia’s future peace talks, saying the talks sound “very real” while his main aide has said there is still “fundamental opposition” to Russia’s response.
In a state of the nation address, Zelenskiy said:
Meetings continue. I am told that positions in negotiations sound real.
However, more time is needed for the decisions to favor Ukraine. ”However, Mykhailo Podolyak, a member of the Ukrainian delegation and a presidential aide, said there were “fundamental contradictions” in the talks aimed at ending the Russian military offensive in Ukraine but a compromise was still possible.
We will continue tomorrow. A very complex and transparent negotiation process. There is a fundamental contradiction. But there is certainly room for consensus. ”Negotiations resumed on Tuesday, with both sides showing progress.
Zelenskiy said the Russians “have begun to understand that they will not gain anything from the war” and called Monday’s talks “very good”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a press conference on Tuesday that “talks are now underway on granting Ukraine a military neutrality position, according to the security guarantees of all participants in the process”, and “ending the Ukrainian war”, Interfax news reported. agency reported.
Lavrov will meet with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Moscow on Wednesday to discuss the Ukraine conflict, the Russian ministry has said.
The group of developed nations Group of Seven (G7) will hold an online conference after 12pm GMT to discuss Russia’s action in Ukraine, Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
Suzuki, who commented in parliament, did not specify whether the meeting would be between G7 finance leaders or other representatives.