ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MARCH 29, 2022: Russia's Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky (L) and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin give a press briefing on Russian-Ukrainian talks at the Dolmabahce Palace. Both delegations are to meet face to face for the first time since March 7. With the first round held in the Belarusian city of Gomel on February 28, two more followed in person along with more recent sessions online. On February 24, Russia’s President Putin announced the start of a special military operation in Ukraine in response to appeals from the leaders of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Sergei Karpukhin/TASS/Sipa USA
Turkey: Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The head of the Russian delegation in talks with Ukraine says that Moscow sees the latest meeting as a step toward compromise.
Vladimir Medinskiy said on Russian RT television that Russia sees Ukrainian proposals made Tuesday during the talks in Istanbul as a “step to meet us halfway, a clearly positive fact.”
As Russia pledges to scale back operations in Kyiv, soldiers from the 112th Brigade of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense are still preparing for the worst. Our cameras went inside their makeshift base. https://t.co/eU5e12tnn5
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 30, 2022
He added that the two parties have a long way to go to reach an agreement.
Medinskiy said that Russia made “two big steps toward peace” during the talks, first by agreeing to reduce military activities around the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv. He said Russia agreed to a prospective meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once a prospective peace treaty is ready for signing.
The Ukrainian delegation earlier Tuesday said it had laid out a possible framework for a future peace deal based on legally binding security guarantees that would provide for other countries to intervene if Ukraine is attacked.
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