Ukraine is able to resume direct peace talks with Russia in Istanbul on Monday, a high adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned, following days of uncertainty over whether or not Kyiv would attend a gathering proposed by Moscow.
But Ukrainian officers have insisted that the Kremlin present a promised setting out its place on ending the greater than three-year conflict, earlier than the 2 delegations sit down to barter.
“Ukraine is ready to attend the next meeting, but we want to engage in a constructive discussion,” Andrii Yermak mentioned in a press release on the web site of Ukraine’s Presidential Office late Thursday.
“This means it is important to receive Russia’s draft. There is enough time – four days are sufficient for preparing and sending the documents,” Yermak mentioned.
Ukraine and its European allies have repeatedly accused the Kremlin of dragging its toes in peace efforts, and seize extra Ukrainian land.
Kyiv’s Western companions, together with the U.S., are urging Moscow to comply with an unconditional ceasefire, one thing Kyiv has embraced .
Ukraine’s high diplomat, Andrii Sybiha, additionally instructed reporters on Friday that Kyiv is ready for Russia to make clear its proposals forward of a subsequent spherical of talks.
“We want to end this war this year. We are interested in establishing a ceasefire, whether it is for 30 days, 50 days, or 100 days. Ukraine is open to discussing this directly with Russia,” Sybiha mentioned at a joint news convention in Kyiv along with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan.
Sybiha and Fidan additionally held the door open to a future assembly between Presidents Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin of Russia, presumably additionally together with U.S. President Donald Trump. Fidan mentioned the continuing peace push in Istanbul might be “crowned with” such a gathering.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday instructed reporters {that a} Russian delegation will head to Istanbul and stand prepared to participate within the second spherical of talks on June 2.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday publicly invited Ukraine to carry direct negotiations with Moscow on that date. In a video assertion, Lavrov mentioned Russia would use Monday’s assembly to ship an overview of Moscow’s place on “reliably overcoming” what it calls the basis causes of the conflict. Russian officers have mentioned for weeks that such a doc is forthcoming.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on Wednesday mentioned that Ukraine is not against additional direct talks with Russia, however that they might be “empty” if Moscow have been to fail to make clear its phrases. Umerov mentioned he had personally handed a doc setting out Ukraine’s place to the Russian aspect.
Low-level delegations from Russia and Ukraine held their in Istanbul on May 16. The talks, which lasted two hours, introduced no vital breakthrough, though either side agreed to the of the conflict. It was carried out final weekend and freed 1,000 captives on all sides.
Fidan on Friday voiced a perception that the profitable swap has “proved that negotiations can yield concrete results.”
“There are two paths in front of us. Either we will turn a blind eye to the continuation of the war, or we will reach a lasting peace within the end of the year,” he instructed reporters in Kyiv.
Source: www.anews.com.tr