The head of the Russian delegation to the talks with Ukraine, Volodymyr Medinsky, said today that Kyiv had expressed readiness to meet Russia’s basic demands, but Moscow’s position on Donbass and annexed Crimea remained unchanged, according to Reuters.
Medinsky told Russian television that Ukraine had assured him in writing that it was ready to abandon its ambitions to join NATO, gain “non-aligned” status, abandon the acquisition of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, and pledge not to deploy foreign troops or foreign military bases. on its territory.
The head of the Russian delegation also stated that Ukraine had agreed not to conduct military exercises with foreign armies, except after concluding agreements with the guarantor countries, including Russia.
“Ukraine declares its readiness to meet these fundamental requirements, which Russia has insisted on in recent years. If these commitments are met, the threat of establishing a NATO bridgehead in Ukraine will be eliminated,” Medinsky said.
“This is the essence, meaning and importance of the document on which we reached a previous agreement … at a high level with Ukraine. But the work continues, negotiations continue,” said the head of the Russian delegation.
Medinsky made the remarks a day after talks in Istanbul, in which Russia said it would significantly reduce its military operations near Kyiv and around the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv to build trust, and Kyiv and Western countries were skeptical of the commitment.
He said Russia would not back down from its demand that Ukraine recognize the loss of Crimea (annexed by Moscow in 2014) and the independence of the two self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine.
“I would like to emphasize that the position of our country on Crimea and Donbass remains unchanged,” Medinsky said.
This is a “red line” for Ukraine, which states that it will not make any concessions that affect its territorial integrity.
Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podoliak said today that he was optimistic after talks with Russia, in which Moscow said it would reduce its military operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv.
“I have a sense of optimism after the last round of talks in Istanbul,” Podoliak told an online news conference after yesterday’s talks in Turkey.
He said the proposed security guarantee system for Ukraine, which would be provided in exchange for the country’s neutral status, would be put to a referendum only when Russian troops retreated to pre-invasion positions.