Sergei Karpukhin / Sputnik
MOSCOW, April 2 (RHC) – The results of negotiations held on March 29 between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul have raised optimism about the possibility of a peaceful solution to the conflict between the two countries.
The proposals presented by the Kiev mission at the meeting in this Turkish city this week brought to the discussion table concrete answers to the conditions that Moscow is demanding for the termination of the Kremlin’s military operation in this country on February 24.
According to political analysts, the urgency of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy’s team, along with the United States’ refusal, is related to the offensive advance of Russian forces in that country, the destruction of a large part of their arsenals, and NATO getting directly involved in the conflict .
Although Moscow warned that the promised military de-escalation on the Kyiv and Chernihiv fronts did not imply a ceasefire and indicated that the clashes will continue in other directions, the Ukrainian initiatives undoubtedly represent a first clear commitment to solving fundamental problems.
In this sense, the written document submitted by the Ukrainian authorities considers the country’s refusal to join military blocs, the ban on placing foreign bases, contingents and military exercises on the state territory without the consent of the guarantor states, including Russia.
It also confirms Kiev’s readiness to become a non-nuclear, neutral nation and renunciation of the production and use of all types of weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and bacteriological.
He foresees that the country will give up the possibility of regaining Crimea, Sevastopol and the Donbass region by military means, although he assures that he will continue bilateral talks with Moscow on this issue.
In this regard, Moscow clarified that its position would not change, keeping this point as a possible stumbling block for the continuity of the negotiations.
According to the text submitted by Kyiv, Russia, for its part, would not oppose Ukraine’s aspirations to join the European Union.
Another demand that seemed unattainable, that of a meeting between the heads of state of Russia and Ukraine, could also take place in Istanbul as agreed, but only after the parties have agreed and a peace treaty is to be signed.
Russian presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Moscow delegation to the negotiations, warned that the Kremlin would present its proposals after studying Kyiv’s, predicting there was still a long way to go before a mutual agreement was reached to prepare an acceptable agreement. . (Source/PL)